The Road Not Trekked
by SilverShadow1711
Summary: We can only ever walk down one path in life... The coming of age story of a young princess as everything she's ever known and loved in life comes crashing down around her. Something of a retelling of Fire Emblem Fates
1. Family Ties

Author's Note- I actually started this story back in November of last year (the day I placed my order for the special edition, to be exact), back when we only had a few of the localized names, so I'm shifting back and forth between using them and the original names we first learned. This is something of a re-telling of Fire Emblem- Fates. I don't care much for the story or the characterization, so I'm fixing it to fit more with what I have in mind when I play it. Some characters may seem OOC, but that's because I don't like/ agree with their depictions in the game. I'm trying my hardest to ensure there will be racism and graphic violence and people being bastards, because I wish this game was more like "Mass Effect" than "Friendship Wars- Glorious Nippon", "Wrong Choice, Dumb-ass" and "Fuck You- _THIS_ is Canon". There will also be My Unit/Gunther, because I ship the hell out of them, so consider yourself warned. And one more note, Nerr is pronounced "NAIR" that rhymes with "SWEAR", not "NER" that rhymes with "HER". I know that seems counterintuitive, but trust me.

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Prologue- "Where It All Begins"

" _Where has my heart gone? An uneven trade for the real world..."_

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Ch.1- "Family Ties"

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Autumn was quickly settling over the kingdom of Nohr, but it was known by all that the chilling winds where but a brief warning of the freezing weather that would soon follow. Farmers were busy harvesting their crops, whilst all others were making preparations for the winter season. But that was life far outside the boundaries of the Northern Citadel. In the fortress, routines rarely changed in relation to the passing seasons. And the most strictly followed routine was that of training.

Training was over for the day (the sun set so quickly in the colder months one had to be up before it even rose to make the most of the daylight hours), a fact for which Nerr was eternally grateful. Despite the cold, she was drenched in sweat and though she had felt overheated in the midst of her mock battle, the chilled air had quickly set her freezing. A fact only emphasized by her bare feet, which were fast turning an unflattering shade of purple. Even as she made her way in from the courtyard, she dashed across the worn marble tiles on tip toe, trying to let as little bare flesh make contact with the cold floor as possible. It always baffled her friends and family why she didn't just wear shoes, even in the dead of winter. The answer was simple- she didn't like them. They were uncomfortable and restricting- like stays, but for your feet. Besides, it wasn't like shoes did much more to keep out the cold.

It was slow going, running up the stairs on her bare, frozen feet, her armor clanking with every step and every muscle sore and screaming for rest, but Nerr pushed aside her discomfort and persevered, for she knew the reward that lay in wait for her at the top of the tower she called home. And as she finally made her way to the last landing, one of the doors opened as if on cue, a vision of sheer loveliness in Nerr's eyes emerging from it. It was a young maid, about the same age that she was, her icy blue hair tied in neat pigtails. And as the maid spotted the frozen girl, she smiled slightly.

"There you are, Lady Nerr. You must be exhausted. I've prepared a bath for you." Nerr laughed in delight, rushing forward and throwing her arms around the maid. She knew it wasn't the most thoughtful thing to do, what with her sweaty, disgusting armor and all, but she was too happy to care.

"Oh, Flora, you are my savior. You are a gift from the gods themselves, and I thank them every day for you!" The maid flushed slightly and looked away, clearly not comfortable with the praises lauded upon her.

"Oh, not at all, Lady Nerr. I'm just doing my-"

By that time, Flora's audience had long since run into the room she'd just vacated. A loud clanking and several colorful swears could be heard from it's depths. Smiling and shaking her head in good natured exasperation, Flora went back into the room to find her ladyship engaged in a vicious battle with her own armor, pulling at the straps in an attempt to undo them. Were it anyone else, Flora would've been disgusted with their gross incompetence, but she could see the other girl's fingers were stiff from cold, and her armor _was_ rather complicated.

"Here, milady. Allow me to do that." Obviously relieved to have someone who knew what they were doing take over, Nerr smiled gratefully and tried to keep from trembling too much as her maid quickly dismantled her armor. There was a rather large tub in the center of the room, filled nearly to the brim with hot water. As the warm steam wafted over her, it carried the scent of jasmine. Nerr had only seen the purple flowers in books, but knew that they grew in the southern regions of Nohr, where the climate was warmer. For so long she'd dreamed of seeing them, not just smelling them in her bath water or on her clothes, or the dried, dead petals that came in sachets, but real, living flowers. Now, finally, that dream was withing shouting distance.

As Flora pulled off the last piece of her armor, Nerr quickly stripped her clothes off. She'd have tried to fold them normally, making such a mess of things that the maid would eventually beg her to just leave them alone, but she was quickly loosing the feeling in her toes. With as much restraint as she could manage (which was not much, given that she was almost completely numb in her extremities), she climbed into the bath, letting out a mixed cry of pain and relief as the hot water engulfed her. The heat was almost too much to bear on her frozen skin, and it felt like she had sat in a thousand needles, but she needed it. Eventually, the pain ebbed away, leaving only the relaxing pleasure that coursed through her body. Sighing, she leaned against the chilled tiles, goosebumps rising up along her arms. Flora had just finished organizing the various plates of her armor, and walked over to the tub, carrying a few glass bottles filled with different colored liquids.

"Your training must've been grueling today, milady. You look fit to collapse." Nerr chuckled slightly, remembering her training. All in all, it had consisted of basic drills. The only thing that really made it difficult was the cold.

"It was fairly standard. But I'll tell you, Flora, after that hellish endurance training last week, I'm just happy to do something I can sleep at the end of."

An unsuppressed shudder went through Nerr as she remembered the 'endurance training'. It was something all prospective Nohrian knights had to go through before they were actually knighted, at least five days of non-stop, grueling training with only the bare minimum food and sleep. It was meant to simulate actual battle conditions in the field, and very few squires actually made it through. She had heard from Leo that people sometimes died in the middle of it. Nerr hadn't believed that at first, but after five days of no food, no sleep and pushing her body beyond it's limit, she had literally begged for death herself. Or so Jakob told her- she honestly didn't remember anything of that last day.

"I had almost forgotten about that. You were unconscious for two days afterwards. Should you really be training again so soon?" Nerr tilted her head back to look at Flora. Even upside down, she looked concerned.

"I have to." She answered simply. "Now that I'm of age, I have to prove to Father that I'm fit to join our armies on the battlefield. It's bad enough I have to be quarantined here just because of a little trauma a hundred years ago- if I can't shake off one tiny coma, I'll never be allowed outside!"

She tilted her head further back, dipping her hair into the water, warming her scalp and wishing she could just duck her whole face under for a minute or two. But as she watched Flora uncork the bottles, she knew her self indulgence would have to wait a while longer.

"I know that, Lady Nerr. And I know how much this opportunity means to you. I'm just worried that you might be pushing yourself too hard." Nerr could not help but smile as she sat up again, the warm water cascading over her. The maid behind her made quick work of untying her hair and undoing the braids she wore in it. It was hard to remember a time when Flora hadn't been there to do that for her. It was hard to remember a lot of things that happened before, but she had a feeling that was more because she didn't want to remember than anything. Nerr only let her focus stay on the good things.

"I know, Flora. I'm so grateful to have you looking out for me. But really, you don't have to worry. I feel fine. Better than fine, I'm on top of the world! Training was a piece of cake."

"Still, it seems unfair that you would have to train on your birthday." Nerr tried to look over her should once more, but Flora set her looking straight ahead as she began pouring the contents of one of the bottles on her lady's head. She cringed at the cold that now seemed to creep down her spine, but quickly refocused her thoughts.

"I don't see why. You're from the Ice tribe, and they're all about having strong warriors. Didn't you have to train on your birthday?" She couldn't see it, but the maid was scowling deeply. She wasn't wrong, and had anyone else said such a thing, Flora undoubtedly would have been very upset with them, but it was clear to anyone who knew her that the Nohrian princess did not mean anything cruel with her words. She never strove to be unkind, and she truly was ignorant in the ways of the world outside the boundary of the citadel, so Flora quickly bit back her anger.

"I _did_ train on my birthday, and that is precisely why I say it is unfair."

Rolling her sleeves up, she began working a lather into her ladyship's hair, perhaps a touch more forcefully than she normally would've done.

"But I got to see my family today. And not just one or two of them. _Everyone_ came out to wish me a happy birthday, and they all stayed until noon, so how can I complain about a little training? I say it's a small price to pay."

Maybe there were other people who wouldn't think two whole hours spent with their family was a big deal, but to Nerr, those people were crazy. The citadel she was the liege-lord of was two hours from the main castle on horseback, and her sibling were all very busy with their own duties. As such, she cherished every moment she could spend with them. Visits were few and far between, and rarely lasted an hour, so for all of her siblings to schedule so much time for her was indeed the most touching gift they could ever give her. Flora smiled softly as she continued lathering.

"I'm sure it warms your family's hearts to know you think so dearly of them..."

After her hair and back were washed, Nerr quickly fished in the bath. She would've enjoyed staying in the warm water a while longer, but alas, the water was quickly cooling. Hot things did not stay that way for long in the drafty fortress, despite everyone's best attempts to close all the holes and cracks. Nerr wondered if it was warmer in the main castle. It probably was- that was where the king and royal family lived, after all. It wouldn't do for the crown prince to catch his death from a chill. She looked forward to the day she and her retainers and household could move in as well, to be nearer to her family, and the rest of the world in general. Flora helped her into her nightgown and braided her hair for her the way she always wore it to sleep. For the first time, the thought struck her that, if she truly did join the Nohrian army, chances were she would not be able to bring Flora along. That wouldn't be fair to all the soldiers that weren't royalty. She needed to ask the maid how to braid her own her before she went anywhere.

The excitement and physical exhaustion of the day was beginning to catch up to her. Flora, in her infinite kindness, offered to escort Nerr back to her room, though they both knew it was more because the princess was in the habit of falling asleep wherever she got tired, and it would do no one any good if she caught a draft sleeping on the floor. The thought of crawling into bed and pulling her comforters over herself was almost as happy as that of her siblings. She had been suppressing a yawn as she opened the door to her room and once she walked in, it was difficult to tell if she had opened her eyes or not. The room was completely dark. Normally, such things didn't bother Nerr- she often found she could see in the dark just as well as in the light, but she was too tired to make sense of what she was looking at.

"Flora, why's it so dark in here?"

"Oh dear, I must've forgotten to light the torches. Don't worry, I'll get a light."

She pulled Nerr into the doorway and stepped away. The darkness was so soothing, it was tempting to just lean against the door frame and go to sleep. The young princess was seriously contemplating that thought when a faint light appeared in the dark. Several, actually, all crowded close together. It was the warm, flickering light of candles, in the center of her room. And illuminated in the dim glow were the faces of her retainers and servants, smiling up at her. A cake lay on the table in front of them. Taken aback, Nerr slowly approached them, making sure to keep her breathing steady. It did not do for a princess of Nohr to go to pieces at the slightest provocation.

"What's this?" She asked, knowing the answer, but still curious if it wasn't something different.

"It's a birthday celebration." Jakob answered primly.

"You guys know you don't have to do this. My birthday is nothing special."

"We respectfully disagree, my lady." Gunther interjected. "This is the day the gods gave you to us. That is something very special indeed." Felicia nodded energetically, her long hair bouncing about.

"Yeah! Not to mention today, you're officially an adult. We gotta celebrate that!" Lilith, the newest member of her household, smiled up at her shyly.

"You mean so much to us, Lady Nerr. This is the least we can do to show you."

Nerr felt her throat tighten as she look at the illuminated faces. She swallowed the happy tears that threatened to overtake her (a princess must always be in control of their emotions), and beamed back at them.

"Thank you all. This means so much to me..."

"Well, don't just stand there getting emotional," Flora teased. "Make a wish."

She looked down at the candles, their tiny, fragile light reminding her of the stars she often looked up at, especially on cold, clear nights like this. They said if you saw a falling star, you could make a wish, but she had never been that lucky. She wished she could've seen at least one before, for now, there were so many wishes she wanted to make. She wanted to finally leave the citadel, she wanted her father to finally be proud of her... she wanted to know what it felt like to be loved by the person she loved... But as the memory of this perfect, happy day filled her chest, all of those other wishes fell away, replaced by something that mattered much, much more. Leaning down, she took a deep breath. _'Gods... please_ _don't take this happiness away...'_ As she blew out the candles with as much force as she could, the room was once more thrown into darkness.

"Oh. That... wasn't smart..." There was a throaty chuckle from across the table.

"I'll put the lights back on, my lady."

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Nerr had smiled consistently throughout late birthday celebration. It was a strange feeling, to sit and eat with so many other people. Although there was a dining room in the citadel somewhere, she always took her meals in her room, and she assumed her retainers did the same. There weren't enough chairs for everyone, so Felicia, Lilith and (with some coaxing) Flora crowded together with her on her bed.

The cake was apple spice, since apparently there had been a decent crop of apples that year (though she was fairly certain she had overheard Xander mention something about the wheat crop failing). The princess delighted in the fact that she had been born in the midst of the harvest season when fruit abounded. Not that it benefited anyone else since, as Leo, and Gunther, and occasionally Jakob bemoaned, she ate all the damn fruit before anyone else had a chance to. They had to hide a secret stash just for this occasion.

"That was clever. I mean, it's also sneaky and insulting and disloyal, but very clever." Jakob sat a little straighter in his seat, unable to keep the smile completely off his face.

"Thank you, Lady Nerr. It was my idea. The cake was also my work."

"Hey!" From beside her- as in, right in her ear- Felicia protested loudly. "I helped too!" At once, Jakob's smile slid from his face, replaced with a deep frown.

"If by 'helped' you mean 'almost completely ruined everything', then yes. You 'helped' a lot." Felicia gasped, affronted. It seemed that this disagreement was about to turn into a full-on screaming match. Lilith edged away from the young maid as the temperature around her began dropping. Nerr desperately wished she could do the same, but she was unfortunately sandwiched between Felicia and her sister. Sighing loudly, Gunther rolled his eyes skywards.

"For the gods' sake, can you two not bicker for _one_ day? Is that truly too much to ask? Normally I'd tell you to go outside and settle your silly argument with combat, but I wouldn't want Lady Nerr's birthday _further_ ruined with one of you losing an eye." Jakob and Felicia awkwardly looked to the floor, shame-faced. Nerr felt her heart go out to both of them, and she smiled gently.

"Aw, they're not ruining anything, Gunther. I'm used to them arguing. We all are, I think. I, for one, can't imagine _not_ waking up in the ungodly hours of the morning to the sounds of crashing and yelling." Badly suppressed giggles came from either side of her, and both domestics looked up, clearly relieved they hadn't ruined her birthday. Besides, she added silently to herself, families fight. They argue and make up and go back to being families.

It was fun and surprisingly relaxing to share a meal with others, to talk and laugh. Sometimes she would read about families sitting down to dinner together. She wondered if her siblings ate like this, with father at the head of the table, discussing their lessons or training... It was a nice thought. She truly hoped they did and that when she could finally join them in the castle, that she could take part as well. But even if that was just a dream that could never come true, she was happy with this family.

It was quite late when the conversation finally began tapering off. Though Nerr was loathe to admit it, her exhaustion was catching up to her. Perhaps noticing her drooping eyelids, the servants quickly remembered the chores left to them before they could turn in for the night. Lilith had to feed the horses, Flora and Jakob had to tidy the kitchen, and Felicia... had to try not to break any more plates. They all excused themselves, wishing their liege a happy birthday one last time as they took their leave. Nerr was in the middle of contemplating the practicality of replacing all the citadel's ceramic dishes with metal ones to avoid another Felicia disaster when she suddenly realized there was still one member of her makeshift family in the room with her.

"Gunther. What are you still doing here? I thought you left with the others." The older man bowed his head.

"My apologies, my lady. I'll be but a moment and then leave you to your peace." Nerr frowned a bit. That didn't sound at all like Gunther. Normally, her retainer was the one telling _her_ to stop dawdling and get a move on.

"Is something wrong?" She asked quietly. She prayed there wasn't. The thought of something being wrong with her oldest, dearest companion made her stomach clench painfully in fear. Noticing her concern, the old knight laughed softly.

"No. There's nothing wrong, my lady. Just the passage of time..."

"What do you mean?" He sighed, softly but she still caught it.

"It just seems impossible to me that fifteen years could have passed so quickly. I still remember when you were a little girl, begging me to pick you up and carry you about on my shoulders..." Nerr felt the heat rise in her cheeks at the memory. It was hazy, but it was there.

"Don't remind me of those things, Gunther. It's embarrassing. I'm not a child anymore."

"I know." His voice was quiet, as if he were speaking more to himself than to her. "I know that better than anyone. It's just so hard to believe that that playful little girl grew up into the strong, beautiful woman that sits before me now." Her cheeks burned hotter, but pleasantly so this time. She could not help but smile a bit as she asked, somewhat shyly,

"You think I'm beautiful?" Perhaps a younger man would've been flustered, but Gunther possessed a nonchalance that could only come with age.

"I doubt there is a soul in this kingdom that does not."

It was a non-answer, but Nerr was still flattered. The older man got to his feet and approached her, stopping a respectful distance from her bed.

"I'm sure Jakob would kill me in my sleep if he knew about this, but... I have a gift for you." Despite her insistence that she was an adult, the princess could not contain the childish burst of excitement she felt at those words. Perhaps because it had been so long since she last heard them. When she was younger, back when Gunther still left the fortress to go on patrols with the rest of the active duty knights, he would always bring her presents from the town in the capital. Sweets and toys and books... it was not so much the presents themselves that she adored (though she truly did, and kept every one of those treasures squirreled away somewhere safe), but rather, what they represented. The world beyond the confines of her cage, places she could only dream of going.

As she got older, the gifts became less frequent until they stopped all together. She never questioned it, of course- that would come across as horribly selfish and entitled, and besides, she had probably just outgrown that little tradition just as she had outgrown everything else that served as a happy reprieve. Now, her heart leapt as she jumped to her feet, bouncing on her toes in joyful anticipation.

"Ooh, what is it? What is it?" Reaching into the pouch he wore on his sword belt, Gunther pulled out a small, plain wooden box. It was unwrapped, but his presents always were. Biting back a squeal of excitement, she reached out as calmly as she could, using all her restraint to not snatch the box from his hand- that would be a terrible show of decorum.

"Can I open it?" she asked hopefully. It seemed unlikely it was something that needed to be opened in private, but one could never be too sure. He smiled at her, that hybrid amused-slash-exasperated smile that was always accompanied with a shake of the head.

"That's why I gave it to you." The box was hinged, and there was a small latch that she quickly undid, opening it. It was lined just as simply with dark cloth, and there in the middle was a rather large butterfly. Not a live creature, or even a dead one to be put on display, but a broach or something of that sort. It was sculpted of beautifully polished brass, it's body and the details of it's wings inlaid with some black stone- jet, she assumed.

"It's a hairpin." He explained, silently gauging her reaction. "I know my lady rarely has use for such frivolities, but when I saw it, I could not help but think of you." She looked up at him, confused. "Butterflies symbolize change, and I've given it to you filled with the hope that your life will change only for the better."

Silently, Nerr looked back down at her gift. It glinted dully as it caught the light of the torches on her walls. Slowly, her smile had been fading, and now, she simply looked impassive. Though it did not show on his face, Gunther was surely apprehensive of his mistress's sudden change in demeanor. It could've been for any number of reasons; perhaps she thought him too forward, perhaps she felt such a thing was beneath her...That certainly seemed likely, so he spoke up once more, with a bit less enthusiasm than before, though...

"Of course, I understand that a cheap trinket is far beneath royalty. A princess deserves gold and jewels, but... I fear a soldier's salary is not so exorbitant-!" He started as he felt her arms wrap around his waist. Sometime in the midst of his humiliating defense, she had set the box down on her bed and approached him, drawing him into a hug. That he didn't notice her until it was too late... it seemed his reflexes were going to seed...

For Nerr, this was another one of those happy things that she no longer had. As a child, Gunther had indulged her desire for hugs and affection freely, but one day, with no warning, he'd pulled away from her embrace and chided her. She was no longer a child, such behavior was unacceptable from a young lady, et cetera, et cetera. It seemed that from that day, a lonely, empty space had been born inside her. Of course, Elise and Camilla still freely gave hugs (it seemed that only hugging the opposite sex was bad, because hugging Jakob one day had resulted in a harsh scolding for both of them), and it wasn't as if anyone was cold to her, but still... The lesson she had taken away from that new rule was that being a mature, responsible adult meant giving up one's happiness. And though it made her sad, Nerr resigned herself to the fact that, if that was what was expected of her, that was what she would do.

While she told herself she was okay with that, in this particular moment, she could not force herself to think or behave like a dignified princess of Nohr. Just for a while, she needed to not be Nerr Von Krakenburg, and just be Nerr the girl. Gunther had not pulled away and begun chastising her yet, but it could've just been that he was in shock. She tightened her grip on his tunic just in case. He was right about one thing, though; the years certainly had passed. The last time she clearly remembered hugging him, her head barely came up to his stomach, and he'd had to stoop uncomfortably to return her embrace. Now, she could rest her cheek against his chest, her sensitive ears picking up the faint rhythm of his heart. There were tears in her eyes, and when she blinked, they stained the linen of his shirt a darker shade of purple.

"Lady Nerr? He asked, his voice quiet, but rumbling through her face and arms like distant thunder. "Are you alright?"

"I love it." she sniffled. Clearly Gunther had not idea what she was on about.

"I don't-"

"Your gift. I love it, more than anything. It's the most wonderful present I've ever received."

"It's just a piece of polished metal..." Nerr looked up at him, not bothering to wipe away her tears as they kept falling anyway.

"So is a crown. They're both just pieces of metal you wear- the value comes when someone says, 'this has value'. And so I say this hairpin is more valuable to me than all of the jewels in Castle Krakenburg." Gunther gaped at her, ever so slightly.

"That's a bit of an exaggeration, I think..."

"I don't. It's the unmitigated truth. What would a handful of shiny rocks matter to me? This..." she glanced back to where the box lay on her bed. "This is something precious, given to me by the person I hold dearest in the world."

"Lady Nerr..." She ignored him, pressing on as if she had said nothing wrong.

"It made you think of me, and it's filled with your hopes for me. I place more value on that than diamonds and gold."

For a long time there was silence, and Nerr was too afraid to look up. Normally, her brain filtered out things like that before they got to her mouth, but today... she would blame it on her exhaustion. After a while, a low, deep laugh reverberated through her. She chanced a quick glance up and saw Gunther smiling down at her, a familiar, tender look in his eyes.

"You certainly know how to make a pauper feel like a king of kings. No doubt you could rally the world behind any cause you choose with those honeyed words." Oh. So that was what he thought of her speech as- idle flattery. Reining in her disappointment, she closed her eyes and leaned back against his chest (if he wasn't going to push her away, then she would enjoy the closeness for as long as she could), frustrated and tired.

"I spoke only the truth. I don't laud praise on things that don't deserve it."

"I know, my lady. Your praise is the most honest critique. I truly do not deserve such distinction."

"Nonsense..." she tried- and failed- to stifle a yawn. She was beginning to wish she was already in bed. "You're... a wonderful person, Gunther..."

"Heh. I think my lady might be sleep talking."

Gently, he eased her back over to her bed, her legs giving out the moment they brushed against the mattress. Fighting another yawn, she used the last reserves of her strength to move her precious gift over to her nightstand, and swing her legs onto the bed as well. As she lay down, Gunther pulled the covers over her the same way he had done years ago. Reaching up, he brushed an ever-errant lock of hair from her forehead, another old habit, though it seemed his touch lingered just a little longer than it used to. Or perhaps that was wishful thinking from Nerr's half-dreaming mind.

"Good night, my little ladyship." He whispered, using his old pet name for her. More asleep than awake, she smiled slightly.

"Good night, Gunther..." As his footsteps grew fainter and the door quietly squealed closed, she cracked her eyes open, a sliver of bright crimson visible in the darkness. She moved her lips silently. _'I love you...'_


	2. Nohrian Bonds

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Ch. 2- "Nohrian Bonds"

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 _Though the sunlight was harsh, it did nothing to warm the air, every breeze cutting her sweat-slicked skin. A cacophony of shouting and screaming and metal clanging against metal deafened her, and she could smell freshly spilled blood and burning flesh. Hoshidans surrounded her- she had seen pictures of their strange armor and clothing in books, but they did not raise their oddly curved swords at her. Instead, they rushed past her, charging at the Nohrian soldiers who pushed them back with their long lances. She had to get over there, she had to help her people against this savage invasion, but how could she escape? One of the Hoshidans, a girl with deep red hair who didn't look much older than her, was blocking her path, and though it took a few moments, Nerr realized that her steed had_ wings _! It was flapping to stay aloft, like wyverns did. What kind of sorcery was responsible for that?! And furthermore, what kind of lies was she spouting, something about all of Nerr's siblings being behind her?_

 _The only one of her siblings she saw was Xander, well off in the distance, engaged in combat with what must've been the Hoshidan general. She had to get over there, she had to help her big brother, but she couldn't move... Looking down, she saw with shock of horror that her feet were sinking into the ground, the grass around her withering and dying as a bubbling, tar-like darkness oozed out from where she was being pulled down. She tried to scream, but no sound came out. The armies were still too busy killing each other to notice her. Flora and Gunther had arrived with a wave of Nohrian reinforcements- they would help her, if only they would just come closer. Familiar battle cries came from only a few feet behind her her, and she turned as much as she could to see Jakob and Felicia. It would've been a relief, but... what were they doing behind enemy lines? And why weren't they attacking the Hoshidans, why were they charging straight into the line of fire against the Nohrian army?_

 _The darkness had been steadily pulling her in, until she was up to her ribcage. She was freezing where her body had sank beneath the ground, and as she flailed, the chilling realization that she was kicking in a void dawned upon her. There was nothing below her, she was sinking into an abyss, into nothingness, and no one would even notice. Desperately, she cried out one last time, scrambling in an attempt to grab hold of some lifeline. The gods had finally answered her prayers, for her hand made contact with an ebon greave. Looking up, she saw Xander standing there before her. She smiled, relieved. She would be saved. But before her brother could so much as reach out to her, the Hoshidan general appeared beside him, looking down at Nerr. Despite not looking older than her brother, he was terrifying. His long hair was a wild mane, falling past his waist, and he wore a strange, horned mask. His crimson armor dyed further red with the blood of the brave Nohrians he had cut down, he was as a demon glaring down at her._

 _"Come home to Hoshido, Nerrida!" Wha-what? What did he mean, home to Hoshido? Nohr fought Hoshido, it was her enemy-_

 _"No, Nerr! Nohr is your home!" Yes... Nohr, was her home, but... how could she go anywhere? The darkness was up to her armpits, and despite her outstretched arms, which both men ignored, it continued pulling her down, forcing them up at such an awkward angle she was sure they would be dislocated. The darkness was rising up to her neck, her mouth... she was going to die, she was sure of it..._

 _"Sister!"_

 _"Nerr!"_

 _"B-Big sister?"_

 _"Hey~! Wake up~!"_

A gentle hand shook her, trying to pull her from the darkness, but it was no use. She was dead, she couldn't go home anymore, she was definitely-

"Time to wake up, Lady Nerr!" Tentatively, almost afraid of what she might see, the young princess cracked open one eye. The worn, but familiar masonry of her room in the citadel slowly came into focus, along with Flora's calm, smiling face. There was no darkness. There was no battle or Hoshidans, or-

"Hey~! Wake up~! Lady Nerr~!" She grunted in displeasure as Felicia leaned forward over her, her long ponytail slapping Nerr across the face. She swatted it away, trying to dislodge the annoying strands from her mouth. Waking up in her room was normal enough, but there was something off about today. Pulling her covers down from her face just a bit, she noticed that along with Felicia, both Jakob and Gunther were in her room, standing further from her bed than the maids, but there regardless. Was she missing something? It seemed a bit too early to entertain visitors. Glancing out the window, she noted that stars still dotted the sky. No, it _was_ too early, they had made a mistake.

"It's still dark out." She grumbled, pulling the covers to her chin. Mornings were bad enough, but mornings in autumn and winter were a veritable hell.

"It may be dark out, but it is morning in Nohr, princess. And you have training today." How Gunther could sound amused as he twisted a knife into her gut was a horrible mystery. Jakob was no better, completely ignorant of her misery as he set her polished and oiled plate on the settee at the foot of her bed.

"I've taken the liberty of readying your armor and, er... pounding out the dents. If this is the result of training, I'd balk at the thought of facing Prince Xander in a true fight." Oh, that was right. Xander would be here today, to test her skills and make a report on her progress to father. Normally, such a thought would invigorate her, but after that dream... after the fear and helplessness and seeing him just standing there... Nerr frowned and pulled her comforter over her head.

"Training be damned. I'm going back to sleep. Wake me up in two hours." This was hardly an unusual occurrence in the citadel. Nerr rarely felt that she got enough sleep, waking up when it was still dark out doing nothing to help such matters, so she often pestered Flora (and in the past, Jakob) to let her sleep a little while longer. And usually, they took pity on her and let her rest, but she had never tried to sleep in on days when Xander was due. Felicia tried to remind her of this, sounding like a bundle of nerves.

"B-but, Lady Nerr..! Prince Xander is on his way- what if you're asleep when he gets here?"

"I don't care. I'm tired." Torn between their loyalty to their liege and their duty to their eventual sovereign, the servants were thrown for a loop. She could hear them whispering amongst themselves even as she began dozing off again.

"We can't just let her sleep!"

"She is out mistress- if she wants to sleep, then we must let her sleep." Ah, good old Jakob, she could always depend on him.

"You constantly find new ways to disappoint me, Jakob."

" _What was that_ , old man?"

"A butler's duty is to do what is best for his liege, not indulge her every whim, no matter how self destructive."

It seemed a bit harsh for Gunther to call out her wanting a few more minutes of rest as 'self destructive, but she hardly had any time to dwell on that unfairness as all her blankets were snatched away from her, the resulting blast of cold air washing over her through her thin nightgown and raising goose-flesh on every inch of skin. Instinctively, she curled into a tight ball to try and maintain a bit of warmth, but it was too late. Her retainer had dumped her blankets on a chair on the other side of the room. Sitting up, she glared petulant daggers at his back.

"Why are you so cruel to me, Gunther?!" He simply smiled.

"I see you're awake now."

"No! I am _not_ awake, I'm still really tired!" It was Flora's turn to smile.

"Oh, we can help with that. Felicia?" The maids leaned over her, each pressing a hand to one of Nerr's ears. It was only slightly uncomfortable at first- the twin's skin was always rather cool to the touch and her ears were very sensitive- but as they both activated the ice magic flowing through their veins, it was as if someone had pressed a firebrand to the sides of her head. The cold was so intense it burned. She howled in agony, pulling away from them and desperately trying to rub the warmth and feeling back into her ears.

"ARRRUGH! Gods, _why_?!" Flora's smile seemed to have taken a mischievous turn, for it was clearly more of a smirk than one else.

"That's how we deal with sluggabeds in the Ice Tribe."

That didn't even make any sense! Cold did not effect those born to the Ice Tribe the way it did with other people (most notably, herself). There was no way any of them could know the agony of cold. Groaning with effort, she swung her feet over the side of the bed, taking care not to let them touch the cold stone floor. She certainly wouldn't be getting back to sleep now.

"Flora, I know I've told you not to do that before. I swear, the next time you use ice magic on me, I'm setting you on fire."

"That is a risk I'm willing to take in order to do my duty, milady." She sighed, knowing the maid saw right through her empty threat.

"Well, I suppose I'm grateful you woke me up when you did. I was having the worst nightmare."

"Goodness," Jakob looked up from the tea he was pouring. "I haven't known you to have nightmares for years. What could it have been?"

Nerr leaned back on her arms, looking past her band of retainers out the window once more. The night sky was a comforting sight, one she was used to. That darkness was ever changing, cycling through rich tones of purple and blue and, occasionally when it stormed, a shade of teal similar to her own hair color. Stars twinkled against it's backdrop, and the moon softly illuminated the barren landscape. It was a complete inverse of the darkness she had dreamed, one laced with fear and uncertainty.

"I was in the middle of a battlefield. Everyone was fighting, and these... Hoshidans... I couldn't break past them. They kept calling me their sister, and Xander was there and I couldn't go to him and-" Flora placed a hand on her shoulder, and it was only then that Nerr realized she was breathing hard.

"Perhaps you should tell us about it later. When it's not so fresh in your mind?" The princess nodded. Even though she was awake, it still felt too real to her.

"You should start getting dressed, Lady Nerr. Prince Xander will be here any moment." She sighed once more.

"Can I at least get dressed first?"

"Of course, milady. We'll leave you now." Jakob bowed respectfully, and he, Felicia and Gunther walked out of the room, closing the door and leaving Nerr alone with Flora.

"I'll get your clothes ready, Lady Nerr. I suggest you hurry up and eat; you'll need your strength today."

"Ugh, _please_ don't remind me of that. I know Xander is going to beat me to a pulp, I do _not_ need to think about that right now." Nerr got up and trudged over to her table, collapsing into the chair and downing her tea in nearly one gulp. Normally, she would take the time to savor the fruit of Jakob's labor, but this morning, she felt too agitated to care. Even eating was simply going through the motions, forcing herself to chew and swallow, the food settling in her stomach like heavy bricks. Flora came over as she ate and undid her braid, carefully brushing it out.

"That dream really upset you, didn't it, milady?"

"..." She set her spoon down, feeling her appetite leave her suddenly. "Jakob was right, you know. I used to have nightmares all the time, back before you Felicia came here. Back then, there was hardly a night I didn't spend screaming in terror. But they stopped. For _so_ _long_ they were gone, and I thought they would never plague me again. Why are they back now?"

Even to her own ears, Nerr's voice sounded like a pitiful whine, but she could not help it. She did not want to go back to that time of living in fear of her own dreams. Gathering her hair up in a sidetail the way she like it, Flora spoke, her calm voice helping to ease her mistress's own distress.

"I'm sure it's just a side effect of your nerves, Lady Nerr. The country is at war, and you're expected to join the fighting. It's only natural that you would be afraid. Who wouldn't be?" Nerr smiled, grateful that Flora was so understanding. The young maid was always calm and collected, and always managed to set her mind at ease. The princess would never admit it to anyone but Flora herself, but she was her favorite of all the servants.

Feeling a bit better, the princess got to work dressing. She had already donned her gloves and high-collared doubtlet when she noticed something was missing.

"Flora, where are my tights?" The maid balked slightly, and pointed to one more folded black garment on the bed.

"Right there, milady." Nerr frowned.

"This isn't right. I can't wear these into battle- I only wear these under dresses!" They had been a gift from Camilla a while ago, black velvet tights with beautiful lace detail. Unfortunately, they had cutouts, leaving her inner thighs completely exposed. Her older sister adamantly told her there was nothing wrong with showing a bit of skin now that she was older, but Nerr had blushed at the thought of being bare in front of others, so she only wore them under her long, traditional Nohrian dresses. She stared Flora down, awaiting an explanation. The maid sighed wearily.

"Felicia got it in her head to do the laundry last night. I know she was only trying to help, but needless to say, she set most everything on fire, including your tights."

"I can't wear these!" Nerr exclaimed again. "Everyone will see my small-clothes!" Flora simply shrugged.

"Well, milady, you have a choice. Either wear them and be partially exposed, or go out there in the cold wearing nothing at all." What a thoughtful non-choice that was. Begrudgingly, she pulled on the tights, wincing at just how much air she could feel between her legs. A few more minutes to put on all the interlocking plates of her armor and she was finally ready to go meet her brother. As she walked towards the door, she stopped suddenly, making a dash back towards her bed. Flora sounded incredibly distraught as she called back to her mistress from the other side of the door.

"Lady Nerr, _please_ don't tell me you're going to try and go back to sleep now!"

"Of course not! How stupid do you think I am, Flora?" She opened the box resting on her bedside table, pulling the brass butterfly from it's resting place, an unconscious smile tugging at her lips as she ran back out. She showed it Flora. "I forgot I wanted to wear this. Can you put it in for me?" Nodding, the other girl took it from her, carefully affixing it in her hair just above her left ear.

"I don't remember ever seeing this before." She remarked as she closed the clasp, trying to ensure it would not fall out during the rigors of training.

"I just got it yesterday. It was a gift."

"Ah, from Sir Gunther?" Nerr's smile vanished as the color rose in her cheeks.

"Wh-why would you even assume that?" It was Flora's turn to smile a knowing grin.

"Oh. No reason. Just the way you were smiling when you looked at it... and the fact that I've never known you to care for jewelry or accessories or things like that before..." Flora was well aware of her mistress's little... _infatuation_ , and while she sympathized with her, she couldn't pass up the opportunity to tease her occasionally. Especially when it resulted in the princess's face turning the same shade of red as her eyes and her walking off in a huff... just as she was doing now.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Shut up."

000

Although training was normally done in the courtyard of the citadel, Xander occasionally insisted they go up to the roof, the moon and stars providing far more light in the open air. In full armor astride his black destrier, he looked every inch the perfect Nohrian soldier. Nerr's heart filled with pride and envy whenever she looked at her eldest sibling. For years, he had been the ideal she had strived for, desperately pushing herself to be as good as him but always coming up short, it seemed. Even though they were both armed with bronze training swords, and he was holding reins in one hand, his blows still had more force behind them than she could manage. She tried to parry, but he was too quick, and it took all her focus just to block his riposte.

One swing of his sword knocked her own out of the way, leaving her open another blow to the chest. She could feel the metal of her breastplate deform under the force of his strike. It knocked the air from her lungs, and she collapsed to the ground, breathing hard and whimpering in pain. The clopping of hooves against the stone grew louder until Asmodeus, her brother's steed, stood nearly over her. The horse lowered it's head, sniffing at her hair and snorting. A low, amused chuckle sounded from further back. Sitting atop one of the battlements, her younger brother Leo watched the mock battle. Groaning, Nerr forced herself back to her feet, glaring at the younger boy.

"Enjoying yourself over there, Leo?"

"I'd be enjoying it even more if you'd put on a better show for me. You can't expect to best the strongest knight in Nohr when you're still half asleep, sister." She was about to spit a nasty retort back to him when Xander cleared his throat loudly.

"That's enough, you two. Nerr, stand up straight and take up your sword. You are a princess of Nohr, and I expect better from you." She felt her shoulders slump.

"I'm trying, Xander."

"You're _failing_. You know Father is tracking your progress to see if you can join our army. I am loathe to tell you this, but if you cannot land a blow against me today, he may very well never allow you to leave the citadel. _Ever._ "

Nerr felt as if her heart had dropped to her feet. Never leave? _Ever_? How could that be, why was she being punished?

"That's not fair!" She cried out, wounded. "He can't do that! I've spent every waking moment of my life training to be good enough to join you all, can't he see that!?" Xander chuckled humorlessly.

"It seems that lit a fire in you. Then remember that this is your last chance to prove yourself, little princess." Despite the seriousness of the situation, he still used his pet name for her. "If you ever wish to see the world beyond the pages of books and the boundaries of the citadel, then you must best me today."

He backed off a bit, giving her a chance to regain her footing. She had to land a hit on him, but that was easier said than done. Mounted knights had an additional shield in the form of their steeds. Usually, one had to go through the horse or wyvern to get to the rider, but Nerr would not even consider the thought of hurting Asmodeus. Gritting her teeth, she ran towards her brother, feinting right befor ducking to the left and swinging her sword. She would've hit him, but he was too fast and parried her blow.

"Your swings are timid, Nerr. That hesitation will do you no favors on the battlefield. You must develop a killer instinct, you must have no qualms about ending your enemy's life, because they will not hesitate to end yours."

"I _know_ that, Xander. But you aren't my enemy! You're my brother..." The older man frowned, the ever present furrow between his brows deepening.

"I suggest you push that thought from your mind. For today, I am your enemy, and you must kill me before I kill you." As if to drive his point home, he slashed at her again, the edge of the blade connecting with her ribs. She cried out in agony, dropping to one knee. She wouldn't be surprised if her bones were broken after that. Xander scowled at her. "Don't just stand there and let me kill you, foolish girl! Strike back! You must fight to survive, that has to be instinctive!"

Mustering up all her resolve, she charged at her brother again, a furious battle cry that sounded much more natural than it ever did in practice escaping her lips. As she swung her sword this time, it was not forced aside. As it finally made contact with his armor, the resulting vibrations through her hand almost caused her to drop her sword, but she redoubled her grip. When he brought his sword down, she was ready for it, and ducked out of the way, using the opening he left to strike another blow. As Xander slumped in his saddle, Nerr felt a pang of doubt. What if she hurt him? Quickly pushing that thought from her mind, she reassured herself that the crown prince of Nohr was too strong to be gravely injured by someone as weak as her. Putting all the strength she could behind it, she swung her sword one last time, feeling the plates of metal it hit give under the force. Xander lost his balance and fell from the saddle, hitting the cold stone with a pained grunt. Nerr gasped in horror and threw her sword aside, rushing to her brother's side, Leo jumping to his feet to join them, his youthful face pale with shock.

"Gods above! What have you done, Nerr?!"

"Xander!" She cried out in fear. "Are you alright?!" He was breathing, but his eyes were closed. Groaning slightly, the eldest sibling slowly opened his eyes, a smile softening his normally stern face.

"Well done, little princess. I knew you had it in you. Father will be pleased." Despite her sore muscles and her painfully pounding heart, Nerr felt lighter than she had in ages. She smiled with a breathy laugh, and helped pull her brother to his feet. They made their way down to the parapet, Xander handing his horse's reins to Lilith, who acted as the citadel's equerry. As she led Asmodeus down to the stables so he could rest with the other horses, the eldest prince turned back to his sister, smiling at her.

"You've grown strong, Nerr. I see that your training has not been in vain." She swelled with pride. Xander did not freely give compliments, his praise almost as rare as their father's.

"Well, I definitely have you to thank, Xander. Between your... tough love, and Gunther's, uh... not-torture, I'm sure a dairy maid would be able to hold back opposing forces." He smiled softly at her.

"You don't give yourself enough credit. You have an incredible natural talent. I have no doubt that you could one day be the greatest warrior in all of Nohr." Nerr's smile dimmed a bit.

"This is a joke?"

"Of course not." His smile faded as well, and in an instant, her brother had gone back to being the crown prince. "I never joke on matters pertaining to our country. Your strength is real, Nerr, not just your arm but your heart as well. You might well help to bring light to the darkness that shrouds our kingdom." At the mention of darkness, she once again recalled her horrible dream, and the darkness that engulfed her. _'Come home to Hoshido!'_ The very memory of that Hoshidan general made her shudder. She wondered if she should tell Xander about that nightmare, but Leo interrupted her thoughts with an exasperated sigh.

"Tch. Typical older siblings. Swordplay is fine and all, but you two _do_ realize that it takes more than that to end a war, don't you?" Nerr frowned. Typical Leo, always reminding her that her accomplishments were never as grand as their other siblings made them out to be.

"Damn it all, Leo, can't you just let me have this?"

"I'm just telling you the truth." Xander chuckled as his younger siblings glared at each other. "Calm down, little brother. There's no need to feel threatened by Nerr's skill with a sword. You know full well you're one of the most talented mages in Nohr." Leo sighed looking away from his brother.

"Yes, well, unfortunately, it seems the only way anyone can get any acknowledgement around here is by swinging around a pointy metal stick."

Speaking of pointy metal, Nerr glanced at his cloak, the metal fringe that adorned it's trim gleaming in the moonlight. She had noticed when he first approached her before the battle (promising to scoop up the paste that would be left after Xander was done with her and disposing of it properly), but had quickly forgotten.

"That reminds me, there's something I've been meaning to tell you, Leo."

"Something important enough to derail this conversation?" he sniped. She frowned deeply. Leo being petulant was nothing new, but his mood was even worse than usual today. Normally, she would've asked what was wrong, but between her lack of sleep and aching ribs, her patience was at it's limit.

"No. I mean, your clothes are on inside out, but I guess that's not important. You were saying?"

"WHAT?!" He looked down, noticing for the first time, it seemed, that the seams of his short cloak and tunic were on the wrong side. Xander tried, and failed, to stifle his chuckle.

"It would appear that Nerr's not the only one half asleep today." Leo groaned in frustration, rushing off to duck behind one of the battlements and take off his armor. He yelled at them from out of sight.

"Why didn't you say something earlier?!"

"I didn't want to derail the conversation." Nerr shot back. The eldest sibling laughed heartily at that.

"What are you laughing at, Xander? You're just as guilty as Nerr! You mean to tell me that you didn't notice this _before_ we left the castle?"

"I'm sorry, Leo. I would've said something, but I couldn't bring myself to. It's too endearing, watching you act so serious when your clothes are inside out... or backwards... or mismatched."

"You're making a fool of me!"

"I'm not, Leo. I swear." Though his voice was serious, Xander still smiled. "That absentmindedness adds to your charm, and your charm is your strongest point."

"Yeah," Nerr added. "Who doesn't adore a lovable little prince who looks like he got dressed in the dark?"

"Shut UP!"

This was what she loved about spending time with her family. The gentle teasing and easy laughs and smiles. Her earlier frustration with Leo melted away as quickly as it came. The click of heels against stone echoed behind her, and she turned, unable to suppress her smile. Camilla and Elise were approaching her. Two visits in two days? She couldn't remember the last time she had spent so much time with her siblings. As the eldest princess stopped in front of her, she took Nerr's face in her hands, turning her head this way and that to try and examine her in the moonlight.

"Are you alright, dearest? Did Xander hurt you during practice?"

"Well..." Her ribs _did_ hurt quite a lot, but...

"You just let your big sister know, and I'll kiss away the boo-boos." There it was. The younger girl smiled awkwardly.

"Uh... I'm fine, Camilla. I appreciate your concern, but... I'm fine." She would just ask Jakob to look at it later. Elise skipped forward, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"Hey! I was worried about you too, Nerr!" She giggled. Their youngest siblings was just as competitive as Leo, but over the silliest things, like affection. It was impossible to look at the little girl's adorable face and not indulge her.

"I know, Elise. Sometimes I think you worry a little too much. I mean, you're over here all the time- it must be a burden on your social life." She giggled sweetly.

"Aw, its fine. You like it when I visit, don't you?"

Nerr felt her heart sink just a little, though she made sure it didn't show on her face. It made her feel terribly guilty sometimes that her siblings had to take the time out to travel all the way from the castle to visit her. She hated being a burden to them...

"Of course I do, Elise. I swear, most days, your visits are all I look forward to." It was sad, but true. News of what went on in the outside world served as an escape from the monotony of training and lessons. Of course, her little sister didn't know that, nor should she.

"Yay! I'm so happy to hear that! I love spending time with you!" She threw her arms around Nerr's neck, the gentle floral scent of her shampoo wafting around her. Smiling and pushing her aching ribs to the back of her mind, Nerr wrapped her own arms around Elise's waist, hoisting her up and spinning her around. The younger girl shrieked with delight. Simple happinesses like these were what she lived for, making all the days when she thought she would simply die from loneliness and boredom bearable.

"I love you SOOOO much, big sis! You're my most favorite person in the whole world!" Touched by her innocent remark, the older siblings chuckled warmly. Leo, who had just returned to the group, his clothes on the right way, rolled his eyes.

"You are such a brat, Elise. When do you intend to grow up?" Camilla smiled and reached over to him, tenderly brushing a lock of hair from his forehead.

"I think we should hope that she stays like this for as long as possible, Leo. We all had to grow up so quickly... It would be nice if at least one of us had an actual childhood to enjoy. Besides, a gloomy kingdom needs a source of cheer and joy to lighten it up."

"Hear, hear." Nerr agreed. "I, for one, have always looked to you all to cheer me up, and my life is all the better for it. To have such a wonderful, loving family to look after me... I am truly blessed." Giggling, Elise hugged her once more, and even Leo smiled faintly (she was certain she still heard a quiet scoff, though). Xander rested a warm had on her shoulder.

"We are all blessed to have you too, Nerr. But I have something to tell you that I think will make you even happier-"

"No, Xander!" Camilla whined, brushing his hand away and pulling the younger girl close to her. It was all Nerr could do to avoid being crushed by her bosom. "Let me tell her! You always get to give out good news..."

"Tell me what?"

"Father has asked us to escort you to the capital." For a long moment, Nerr felt as if her heart had stopped. Surly she couldn't have heard that right.

"To the capital..? As in... the castle? Y-you mean, I can-?"

"That's right, dearest. You can finally leave this wretched place behind and come home with us."

"Isn't it great, big sis?!" Her throat tightened as tears stung her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away, working to control her breathing.

"Yeah... It _is_ great... I can't believe it... I'm free...! Father won't regret this! I'll be the most dedicated soldier Nohr has ever had!" Leo scoffed, smirking at her.

"Yeah, if you can wake up before the battles end, that is." Growling in annoyance, Nerr swung her sword at him, fully intending to swat him with the flat of the blade, but he ducked out the way. A sharp pain shot through her ribs, and with a strangled cry, she collapsed back against Camilla, who promptly began panicking.

"Nerr?! What's wrong? Oh gods, my poor, sweet baby!"

"Camilla..." she groaned out through gritted teeth. "Don't... do anything to me..."

000

After quickly being patched up by Jakob (Elise offered to do it herself, but Nerr felt more at ease having her second oldest retainer take care of her), Nerr gathered her things and set out to meet with the rest of her family, who were waiting in the citadel's entrance hall. She wasn't sure what she would be doing once she got to the castle or how long she would be there, so she packed lightly. Chances were, if she were truly being moved into the castle Krakenburg, she would be able to come back and bring the rest of her belonging. A few clothes, her sword and scabbard, a pair of boots (the thought of wearing them made her stomach turn, but she doubted the ground on the battlefield would be anything like the smooth stone she was used to. That was really all she needed, but...

As her eyes roved the large room that now seemed so empty, they fell on a small book laying on an ottoman by the window. It was a fairytale called _The Prideful Princess_ , probably the first book she'd ever owned, and her favorite story besides. The story of a lonely princess and her loyal servant struck a chord with her. It seemed a foolish extravagance to bring with her, but it was small and she still had space in her bag. Giving into her silly whim, she packed it into the bag and hoisted it onto her shoulder. As she stood in the doorway, looking around for what felt like the last time, a sudden melancholy overcame her. For so many years, she had dreamed of being free to leave, and now that she finally could... she wasn't sure she wanted to. 'Wretched place', that was what Camilla had said, but it wasn't really.

Sure it was drafty and cold and often leaked when it rained, and it was much too big for a household of six and sometimes felt very lonely, but it was Nerr's home. The only home she had ever known, the setting of all her memories, the bad _and_ the good. But, she reminded herself, just because she was being allowed to leave didn't mean she was forbidden from coming back. Perhaps, if Father didn't find another use for it, once the war was over, she could use it as a vacation home. Contenting herself with that thought, she closed the door, nervous and thrilled that this would, for all intents and purposes, be the start of her life.

As Nerr descended the final flight of stairs, Lilith came in from the main doors, letting in a blast of cold air. She beamed as the princess joined her siblings.

"I'm so happy for you, Lady Nerr, that you finally get to leave the fortress. I know you've been talking of this day for years." The other girl flushed slightly.

"You make it sound as if I talk of nothing else."

"Well, little else. Sir Gunther has asked that I accompany you to the castle, so I may look after the horses."

"That's nice. At least I'll have some familiar faces around when I get to the capital."

"Speaking of which," Xander stepped forward. "Lilith, are the horses tacked?"

"Of course, milord, everything is ready. Heh, Caractacus and Bravane seem just as excited as Lady Nerr."

Those were the names of Gunther's and Jakob's steeds, respectively (Nerr had picked Bravane's name). She had naturally assumed Gunther would join her- he was her head retainer, and caretaker, and she simply couldn't imagine going anywhere without him, but it was a bit surprising that Jakob would join them as well. A happy surprise, though, for Jakob had also cared for her since they were both young. Lilith was still talking, going on about how fond the horses were of Nerr. It was a bit of a joke within the citadel that the only reason the horses got along was because of her intervention. Felicia often teased that she was their girlfriend, Bravane's especially. Camilla giggled slightly.

"Our dear Nerr does love animals... I remember her nursing a little baby bird back to health once. She would ask me to bring vulneraries when I came to visit. Imagine, using a vulnerary on a bird!" Lilith's smile dimmed just a bit.

"Yeah... imagine..." It was not like the equerry to be so sullen.

"Lilith? What's wrong? You seem sad."

"Oh, no, it's nothing..." Laughing slightly, Elise walked up beside her and lightly punched Nerr in the arm.

"You're so slow, Nerr. She's sad 'cause she's lonely."

"How can she be lonely? She's coming with us..."

"Duh, but she can't hog you all to herself anymore. Now she has to share you with the rest of us." She turned towards the bluenette. "You've always been fond of our sister, haven't you, Lilith?" Lilith's blushed all the way to her ears.

"No, its not like that! I mean, of course I am, we all are, but... I'm not... no more than anyone else..." Clearing his throat loudly, but still smiling, Xander began walking towards the large doors.

"I hate to interrupt this moment, but we'd best be on our way. Father doesn't appreciate being kept waiting." The other siblings murmured words of agreement and moved to join him. Jakob approached her, a pleasant smile on his face as usual.

"Are you ready to go, milady?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

"Oh, you should let me carry that."

"No, it's okay..."

She knew her brothers and sisters were waiting on her, but she was waiting on Gunther, who was busy giving last minute instructions to Flora and Felicia. She felt terrible leaving them behind, all alone in the conspicuously empty citadel. If she was going to go, she would've preferred that everyone come with her, but she knew that was asking too much.

"Flora, Felicia, I'll entrust the two of you to look after the citadel. Jakob and I will accompany Lady Nerr to the capital. We may be gone for some time, but I expect the place to still be standing when we return, _Felicia_..." The pink haired maid cringed slightly, and Nerr couldn't help but grin. She would miss things like this.

"Don't mind him, Felicia. I'm sure you won't... burn the fortress to the ground. It's made of stone, what's the worst you could do?"

"That's right- wait, what?" Clapping a hand over her sister's mouth, Flora nodded.

"Of course. We will keep everything running smoothly until your return." Felicia nodded as well, pushing the hand away from her face.

"That's right! Good luck out there, Lady Nerr! Take care of yourself! Don't oversleep!"

"No promises." Nerr teased. "Hopefully I'll see you again soon. Just... maybe not here."

She couldn't help but feel a bit nervous as she made her way towards the front doors. She'd only gone out that way once, years ago... Though she could see the mountains and distant parapets of Castle Krakenburg off in the distance, she didn't know what to expect outside the boundaries of the citadel. Flanked by her retainers, with her family leading the way, she felt a bit more at ease. She would overcome this. It wasn't as if she had never been afraid _inside_ the fortress, so how scary could the world that lay beyond it truly be?


	3. A Thin Line

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Ch. 3- "A Thin Line"

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The journey to the capital of Windmire was the longest she'd ever been on in her life, but also the most exciting. Before they'd even left the citadel's grounds, there seemed to be a hiccup. Nerr was the only member of the traveling party who did not have a mount. It had never made sense for her to own a horse as she never thought she would be allowed beyond the outer bailey, and if she ever wanted to ride around the confines of the fortress, she could do so on the three horses belonging to her servants. After a bit of back and forth, and a great deal of insistence, Nerr convinced Lilith that it was better if she ride Pollux, the palomino rouncey Flora and Felicia shared. Xander and Camilla both suggested that she ride with them, Camilla a bit more forcefully, but she politely rejected that idea too.

Leo had complained that if she intended to walk all the way to the capital they could meet her there... when she arrived, three weeks later. Pointedly ignoring her smart alec brother, Nerr explained to them that she simply intended to ride along with Gunther, the way she always had in the past. As a young child, riding alone had always been daunting, especially when the only horse available for her to practice on had been a massive courser like Caractacus. As such, she had gotten used to sharing a saddle, and besides, Caractacus was the only mount she didn't think would be overburdened with the weight of two people. Camilla scowled at the thought, and insisted that her revenant wyvern (Theodoros) could easily withstand her weight, but Nerr had to refuse. She had never flown a wyvern before, and given that the trail back to the capital was comprised of little more than treacherous peaks and dark ravines, she wasn't about to let her first time be there.

Once they began the trek itself, it seemed that they were making good time. Nerr paid less attention to what her brothers were saying about some skirmish near the border, and more to the view all around her. Granted, it was the same mountains and gnarled trees and scrub bushes she had always seen from her window, but now, it was actually right there in front of her. There was no glass, no high walls separating her from any of it. She could hardly keep her attention focused on one area, her eyes darting back and forth, trying to take it all in. Elise had pulled up besides them, grinning widely and telling Nerr all the things she would be able to do once they got to the capital. There were fairs and festivals, especially now in the harvest season. The youngest princess cheerfully declared that they were going to do everything that could be done to make up for all the time they had missed. Nerr smiled sadly.

"That does sound nice, Elise. But... we are at war, aren't we? I'm sure Father wouldn't take kindly to us cavorting around when there is fighting to be done." The younger girl pouted a bit, thrown for a loop.

"Well... I guess you're right... but wars don't last forever! They have to end sometime. So once the fighting stops, we'll have lots of time for fun!"

"I hope you're right, Elise..."

"Of course I'm right! Just wait, you'll- Oooh! Look! Flowers!"

Nerr didn't believe that there were any flowers, not along the barren slope that led from the citadel, not when the temperature was dropping every day, but she followed the direction of her little sister's gaze anyway. Her eyes widened as she noticed a small patch of purple flowers off the side of the trail. Before her mind could catch up with what she was doing, she slid off the back of the saddle, landing hard and stumbling a bit, and jogged over to where the flowers were. Leo, with his ever watchful, disapproving eye, had been the first one to notice her detour.

"Nerr! What are you doing? If you have to pee, hold it in; nobody has time for your pit stops."

"Shut up, Leo! I don't have to pee- there are flowers over here!"

"That's a thousand times worse! You're slowing us down for _flowers_?"

She ignored him, just like she ignored the sharp rocks digging into the tender soles of her feet. She knelt by the patch of foliage, reaching out gingerly, brushing her fingers along the petals. She didn't know what they were, perhaps violets. It wasn't as if she had never seen flowers before, she was not _that_ sheltered. She had seen them in books, and the dried petals used in potpourri and teas. Sometimes, her siblings brought her cut flowers to brighten up her room a bit. But the problem was, those flowers were always dead, or dying. They had been killed for the sake of making something pleasant for humans. Never in her life had Nerr seen flowers, alive and growing and _free_ , where they belonged. Behind her, she could hear the clopping of hooves and quiet swish of leathery wings as the rest of the traveling party circled back. They were talking amongst themselves, and she felt guilty about holding them up, but she could not help it. Everything was so new and wonderful, and she at least wanted to enjoy _some_ of it before she faced their father.

"She's slowing us down." Of course Leo had to complain. He was right, but that did not make it any easier a pill to swallow.

"We wouldn't get there before dusk, anyway." Camilla's smile was evident in her voice. "Besides, look at her. She looks like a little puppy exploring everything."

"It's just some dumb flowers." Leo scoffed. "There are flowers in the castle."

"I'm sure such a thing is quite dull to you, Prince Leo, but you must keep in mind that your sister is seeing all this for the first time, with the eyes of a child so to speak. I'm sure you were quite curious about things as a child." Camilla giggled.

"How right you are, Gunther. Why, I remember one time he wanted to join me in the bath. He spent the whole time pointing and asking questions, 'what's that? What's what? Am I gonna grow those?'." The entire traveling party, Nerr included, burst out in raucous laughter, drowning out Leo's anguished howl of humiliation. Pushing herself back to her feet, and trying to stifle her own laughter, Nerr returned to her companions.

"Our curious brother has a point; we don't need to make father wait any longer than he must. Let's go, before Leo hurls himself into the ravine to save face."

000

True enough, the sun was already setting by the time Castle Krakenburg came into view. Much like the citadel, it was built deep into the ground, it's spires and Donjon reaching up to the stars even so. Nerr had only been to the castle one other time that she could remember. It had been three years ago, at a fete the royal family had thrown for the nobles and dignitaries of the land. It was only due to Xander's convincing that she had been allowed to come, and her brother had used the opportunity to present her at court. Regardless of the overall enjoyment the night had brought, it had become somewhat of a bitter memory.

Despite the fact that she'd wanted nothing more than to spend time with her siblings, the eldest prince had dragged her around the room, introducing her to nobles and their sons, insisting she dance with them despite her protests. Towards the end of the night, Xander had explained the reason for his pushing her to be charming and appealing was her future marriage. She was a princess and, as such, her marriage could be used to build bridges and patch relationships. Things like love, and actually liking the person you wed, were luxuries that could not be afforded to the royal family. One day, their father would tell her who to marry, and she would have to do it for the good of the country.

Nerr had thrown herself into her training after that day, desperate to forget what unpleasantness her future may hold. Even as she followed her siblings along the precarious walkway that led to the castle's vestibule, she hoped that her father would see that she could serve Nohr better on the battlefield than in a marriage.

"Hey! Nerr! Hurry up, you slowpoke!" Elise had turned around, waving her arms to try and catch her sister's attention. Nerr hadn't realized that her dragging feet had stopping moving forward altogether. Nodding, she picked up the pace, breaking into a trot to catch up with the others.

The castle looked completely different from the last time she'd seen it. What a difference a few yards of cloth and some candles could make. Stone walls, adorned only with pennants bearing the Nohrian royal crest, looked dismally plain. The stone pillars around the room were cracked, the gilding inlaid in them riddled with deep gouges. There was a cubicle within the middle of the room, but there were large rocks and bricks and other pieces of rubble making it impenetrable. She wondered what could've happened to leave the room in such disarray, but pushed those kinds of thoughts away as her brothers and sisters came to a halt at the foot of the steps leading up the landing.

There stood their father, King Garon Von Krakenburg, looking as regal as he looked stern. A velvet and ermine cloak was draped over his jet armor, and as he looked down at her, Nerr felt like a lowly beggar before her king. It was foolish, she knew that- she was his daughter, a princess herself, but nonetheless, she had always been... a bit afraid of him. Perhaps it was because she had so rarely seen him, only three of four times in her whole life. And nearly all those times had been unpleasant, leaving her crying for days after his departure. But that would happen no more, she vehemently told herself. She would show her father what she was capable of, and he would be proud of her, and she'd never have to feel nervous around him again.

"I see you made it here safely, Nerr." Garon's deep voice reverberated through her spine, but she forced herself to smile and nod respectfully.

"Yes, Father, for which I am grateful. There are no words for how much I've wished to come back to Castle Krakenburg."

"Wishing does not make things happen. Only strength and diligence lead us down the path we want. That is why you are here, that is what brings you nearly on par with Xander. At long last, you can finally join your strength to Nohr's, that we may set down the path of our glorious return to power!"

It was all Nerr could do to keep her face straight. She was shrieking with delight inside her mind, that her father thought she could be instrumental to Nohr's power. Yes, she would be, she would do everything in her power to ensure that Nohr became the wonderful place she knew it should be. From behind her, Elise's voice, unexpectedly soft and worried, pulled her from her grandiose delusions.

"But, Father... will she really be alright outside the citadel? You said that was why she couldn't live with us in the castle all this time, because that was the only place she was safe."

"Yes, I thought about that too." Camilla didn't seem as concerned as suspicious, though why, Nerr had no idea. "The barrier you placed around the citadel saved her from the wicked magic the Hoshidans used on her, but won't being away from that protection for too long make her ill again?" The middle princess gaped in disbelief, rounding on her sister. How could Camilla bring that up, why was she reminding Father of that now?!

"Camilla, I appreciate your concern," she hissed through her teeth. "But I don't think you need to worry about that. It's been more than twelve years since that happened. I'm sure their witchcraft has long since worn off. I' m fine now, and I'm ready to do my part and fight for Nohr." Garon nodded approvingly.

"Well spoken, Nerr. But to do your part, you must first learn to utilize the gifts given to you by your birth."

"Eh?"

"We of the royal family are descendants of the gods themselves. The blood of the First Dragons flows through our veins, granting us the power- nay, the _right_ \- to conquer all those who would oppose us with ease." Nerr was rapt with attention, hanging onto every words her father spoke. She wondered if he lectured Xander and Camilla and Leo the same way. As if to answer her question, he continued.

"Xander, Camilla and Leo have already shown they can harness the that power, and I expect no less of you, my daughter." Daughter. His daughter... she couldn't remember the last time he had called her that, if ever.

"Yes, Father. There is not a day that goes by that I do not push myself to meet your expectations. My siblings are the standard I set myself to, and I will not rest until I am at their level." Leaning back slightly, Garon stroked his long beard thoughtfully.

"Yes... you show great promise Nerr, and I will hold you to your word. But if you wish to take your place among our warriors, you will need a better weapon than _that_." Unconsciously, Nerr looked down to where her sword rested against her hip. "A paltry bronze sword is in no way suitable for a princess of Nohr."

He waved his hand, a magical seal of arcane runes glowing in the air around him for a moment before fading, leaving only their after image. Nerr was about to ask what was going on, until a bright flash of purple light went off inches from her face. Covering her eyes too late, she stumbled back, rubbing them desperately to ease the pain from the blinding light. She opened them slowly, spots still dancing before her, to see a long sword in a scabbard before her, kept aloft by magic. Garon must've used a summoning spell. Awed, she reached out, taking the hilt in one hand and pulling the scabbard off with the other. It was no type of metal she'd ever seen before. The blade appeared to be made of stone more than anything else, wide and curved at the end. It seemed like it should've been horribly unbalanced, but as she tested the weight of it, she found she could wield it quite comfortably.

"That is Ganglari, a holy weapon infused with arcane magic. With this at your side, the Hoshidans will fall before you like flies." Re-sheathing the sword once more, she tied it to her sword belt, replacing her old sword.

"I thank you, Father, for such a generous gift." Behind her, she heard Xander mutter something under his breath, but did not have time to dwell on it as the king spoke up once more.

"You may thank me by putting that sword to it's intended use. Release the prisoners!"

She started at his sudden yell, one of the guards who stood at the door nodding sharply and running off to the back of the room. Prisoners? What was going on? She looked back at her siblings for answers, but they all looked just as bemused as she felt. Loud footsteps, lots of them, echoed from the other side of the room. A group of people in strange attire rushed out, each of them carrying weapons. Some of them looked similar to the Hoshidan soldiers she had seen in her dream, especially with their curved swords. But this was not a dream. This was real life. Feeling her throat go dry, she moved away from the steps, trying to get a better look at these people, her enemies.

"These prisoners were captured during our most recent skirmish with Hoshido. Prove your strength to me and strike them down."

Breathing deeply to steel herself, Nerr walked forward, unsheathing her new sword once more. It seemed enveloped in a constant purple glow, the sight of which made her a bit uneasy. The center cubicle blocked the prisoners from her view, but she was sure there had been at least six of them. The very thought of that many enemies coming at her at once was enough to make her knees tremble. She had never fought anything but one-on-one battles before, and only mock training battles with dull weapons. Xander's words from earlier that morning came back, loud and painfully true in her mind. ' _Y_ _ou must have no qualms about ending your enemy's life, because they will not hesitate to end yours..._ _'_

She knew she would have to strike to kill, but even so, how much damage could she truly do on her own. Her heart was beating so loudly in her ears she did not even hear the clank of armor approaching her from behind until a heavy gauntlet rested on her shoulder. Gasping fearfully, she turned, relaxing at once as she met Gunther's eyes.

"Fret not, my lady, I shall join you. My lance arm is perhaps rusty, but still serviceable." She let out a relieved sigh.

"There are no words for how grateful I am for you, Gunther. But... are you sure that's okay? I mean, is that allowed?"

"Certainly. I am your retainer- assisting you in battle is my duty."

"Damn you, old man! Why did you leave me behind?!" There was a string of angry curses, and Nerr almost laughed as she saw Jakob fly past her siblings, coming to a halt just in front her and panting. Gunther frowned, displeasure etched on every line of his face.

"Oh. _Jakob_. Will you join as well?" Straightening at once, the young butler glared at the older man.

"Damn straight I will. As much as you'd like to forget it, I am Lady Nerr's retainer, too." Smiling sweetly, the princess reached out, gently touching Jakob's arm.

"Thank you, Jakob. Knowing that you will be beside me as well puts my heart at ease." Maybe it was just in her head, but it seemed that the butler stood a bit straighter as he beamed back at her. Maybe this wouldn't be as bad as she thought. Granted, they were still outnumbered two-to-one, but at least now, she had a fighting chance. She would prove to her father that she was useful.

Courage bolstered, she stepped forward, and almost at once, noticed one of the Hoshidans. It was a woman... at least, Nerr thought it was. She was heavily muscled, but had a feminine silhouette, her darkly tanned skin was at odds with her stark white hair. Her hand was clenched tightly around a vicious looking mace. It took all of Nerr's resolve not to duck back behind one of her retainers. She was a full gown woman now, not a child to hide behind someone else's skirts, and it was her duty to represent Nohr as strong and courageous. The Hoshidan's eyes narrowed at the sight of her.

"I am Rinkah!" she declared loudly, her low voice echoing thought the chamber. "Daughter of the Flame Tribe's honorable chieftain. And what is your name, Nohrian princess?" The way she sneered the word ' _Nohrian_ ' set Nerr's teeth on edge, and she rose to her full height, insistent on looking as regal as she could.

"I am Nerr Von Krakenburg-"

" _Nerr_?" Another voice, distinctly masculine, cut her off. She turned her glare to the direction of the voice, and saw a young man, about Jakob's age, standing off to the side with the other prisoners. His hair was as green as grass, an unnatural sight if she'd ever seen one.

"Nerr?" He asked again. "Your name is truly Nerr?"

"Did you think princess Nerr of Nohr would be someone else?" She snapped. She did not know what kind of mind games the Hoshidans were trying to play on her, but she would not be taken in by them. The green haired man did not answer for a long moment, his eyes closed tightly and his brow furrowed. When his eyes opened once more, his face was an impassive mask.

"I am Suzukaze, one of Hoshido's shinobi. Very well, Princess Nerr of Nohr; show me what you can do." She was about to respond when her father's booming voice yelled at her.

"Stop your inane chatter, foolish girl, and kill them!"

As if they had been waiting on a signal, the Hoshidans broke into formation, running towards them. Hidden by the large cubicle, they could easily blitz Nerr and her retainers without them even noticing. She pressed her back against the wall, both hands gripping the hilt of her sword as she tried to remember her lessons. But this was no mock battle; she would die here if she did not think, and fast. And not just her, Jakob and Gunther too. By choosing to stand beside her, they were now in the line of fire. As far as she knew, this was Jakob's first true battle as well. And even though Gunther had been a decorated veteran by the time he became her caretaker, there was always the possibility of making a dangerous error.

Her heart pounding against her ribs painfully, Nerr tried to think how they could somehow direct the flow of battle, but it was impossible to focus on anything but the tingling in her feet. Frowning, she looked down at the stone floor. It looked normal, but it felt as if she were standing on a Thunder tome, little shocks coursing through her skin. She took a few steps away from the wall, backing into Jakob. The tingling was still there, just not enough to bother her. It was coming from the entrance to the cubicle.

"Is something wrong, Lady Nerr?" the young man whispered, concerned by her strange behavior, but still focused on keeping an eye out for any sudden movement.

"I... I feel something..."

Almost in a trance, she stepped back in the doorway, the tingling surging through her feet once more. There was power there, the power her father had spoken of, surely. Acting entirely on instinct, she closed her eyes, feeling the surge flow up through the soles of her feet, coursing through her and filling her up, all the way to the tips of her fingers. Raising one arm, she flicked her wrist, feeling the power gather in her fingers before discharging. There was a loud grinding sound behind her, and she turned just in time to see the rubble in the cubicle pull itself apart, flying over the walls of the chamber like leaves in the wind. It landed on the other side with loud crashes, and she heard blood-curdling screams from the Hoshidans. Jakob stared at her, jaw slack.

"Gods above, that's amazing!"

"Excellent plan, my lady. Now we can have the element of surprise."

"Huh?" Nerr had no idea what he was talking about until the older knight grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her into the alcove, Jakob following them. The footsteps on the other side of the wall were growing closer, and she once again felt herself shaking.

A loud battle cry came from seemingly nowhere, and in less time than it took to blink, one of the Hoshidans was standing before her, a hulking man carrying yet another club, a demonic mask covering half his face. He raised the club over his head, bringing it down with all his might. A blunted training sword had been enough to fracture two of her ribs, but this... she could just imagine it falling on her head, crushing her skull and splattering her brains across the wall. It was by luck alone that she managed to leap back, the club hitting the floor instead, leaving a large crater, chips of stone flying around them. It took a moment for the Hoshidan to dislodge his weapon, but a moment was all she needed.

Gripping her sword tighter, Nerr rushed forward, just the same as she had done this morning during training. But this savage looking man was not nearly as fast, or as skilled, it seemed, as her brother. He could not parry as she brought her blade down, nor could he get out of the way. The jagged stone met no resistance as it tore through flesh and muscle, not stopping until it hit bone, but by then it was too late. The man's well defined abdomen had been sliced open, blood gushing out as his organs slid onto the floor. With a gurgling cry, he stumbled back, dropping to his knees before falling face down in his own blood and innards. He was dead. She had killed a man, and with such ease. Surely this wasn't the killer instinct that Xander had told her about?

There was no time to ponder such philosophical matters, for, as Gunther reminded her, they were still outnumbered, as well as surrounded. There was a loud thump from the side of the room, where another door had been bolted shut. Speaking in hushed whispers, they quickly came up with a strategy. With Jakob standing to the side of the door, they waited for a break in the thumping to open the bolt. The moment prisoners threw their weight against the door, it opened, sending one sprawling to the floor and the other stumbling desperately. Gunther made quick work of the poor soul on the floor, driving the head of his lance through the prone man's spine. Meanwhile, Jakob had aimed his dagger (which was less of a dagger and more of a large chef's knife) at the other man's sword arm, slicing through muscle and tendons. The curved sword fell from his hands as he cried out, backing away from them. Nerr hurried forward, sword raised, intending to finish things as quickly as possible, when she faltered.

The Hoshidan, soldier, prisoner, whatever he was, did not look much older than her. His face, distorted in agony, froze in horror as he looked up at her. The Hoshidans were her enemy, she knew that, but... what had this boy (because how could she think of him as anything but?) done to her? She had to take his life, she had to kill him before he killed her... only he couldn't kill her. He couldn't even hold his sword, his only means of defense. Gritting her teeth, Nerr brought her sword down, twisting her grip at the last minute. It did not rip through him the way it had with the other Hoshidan. Instead, she felt a similar resistance as when she trained. The flat edge of the blade hit him in the chest, and with a pained grunt, he collapsed, still but breathing. Swallowing hard, she withdrew back into the room, cringing as she stepped into the ever expanding pool of blood.

"That's three." She whispered, her mouth and throat so dry it was painful to speak. "How many more are there?"

"I don't know, milady." Jakob shook his head, panting slightly. "I think I saw five prisoners, but I couldn't be sure." Pushing the corpse he had stabbed aside with his boot, Gunther sighed heavily.

"Regardless of who is left, it seems our Hoshidans have grown wise to our plan. They won't be coming in here, not after their comrades vanished. We'll have to engage them out there."

That was what she had been dreading. It was not as if they were safe in the confines of the small chamber, especially when it was filling up with corpses, limiting their movements, but knowing there was some small barrier between her and the Hoshidans calmed her at least a little. But they needed to end this as quickly as possible. Jakob reached out, placing a light hand on her arm.

"Allow us to go out first, milady. It would not do for you to run straight into an ambush." No, she wanted to say, it was her duty to go out first, she needed to prove that she was strong and brave, but... all she could do was nod weakly. The blood soaking her gloves and staining her feet had since gone cold, and that chill seemed to be draining her of all her resolve.

Gunther walked out first, his shield raised against any sudden attacks, Jakob close behind him. Nerr pressed her back against the door frame, letting her eyes slip closed for a brief second. In the sudden darkness, everything else seemed much more vivid. The tacky feeling of blood drying on the stone floor as well as the metallic stench of it, her heart pounding in her ears, footsteps... Eyes snapping open, she threw herself from the door frame, colliding with Jakob and nearly knocking them both down as the shinobi seemed to materialize from thin air mere inches from where she had been standing. The blades tied to his vambraces cut deep gouges into the wooden door. His face was stoic as he met eyes with her.

"Your reflexes are good. But they will not be enough."

"Burn in hell, Nohrian scum!" Rinkah's voice growled from somewhere behind her, and she could hear a loud clang as her mace apparently met Gunther's shield. Glints of metal flashed between Suzukaze's fingers, and she barely had time to notice the star-shaped weapons he held before he threw them, lightning quick, in her direction.

He was much faster than the other Hoshidans had been, and she could not dodge his attack. The ones that hit her armor bounced off with faint sparks, but two or three found their mark on unprotected skin, sinking deep into her shoulder and legs. With a stifled grunt of pain, she pulled the metal free from her legs, the small wounds bleeding much more profusely than she would've thought. Forcing herself to move, she charged at him, once again using the flat of her blade as a club rather than a cutting edge. The shinobi wore no armor, and she was certain she heard a crack as Ganglari connected with his ribs. She backed off as he went down to his knees, fully intending to let that be that, but Jakob ran past her, his face dark with anger.

"You'd _dare_ hurt my mistress? You'll rue this day...!"

"Jakob, no! Please don't kill him!" The butler stopped short, glancing back at Nerr over his shoulder. She looked at him beseechingly. She knew the Hoshidans needed to die, but there was so much blood on her hands already... Gritting his teeth in agitation, Jakob clenched his fist tighter over the handle of his blade... and back handed the ninja across the face. With a pained grunt, he hit the floor, groaning softly.

Sighing in relief, and also exhaustion (she was beginning to feel rather dizzy), Nerr turned her attention back to the last remaining Hoshidan. The cacophony of the mace beating against the shield not not eased up. Undoubtedly having heard his liege's entreaty to her other retainer, the older knight was simply letting the prisoner wear herself out against him, rather than make an effort to subdue her. Cringing at the noise, Nerr peeked around the shield, making eye contact with the other woman and regretting it instantly.

"Stop hiding behind your wet nurse's skirt, Nohrian, and face me like a warrior!" She swung her mace hard, aiming straight for the princess's head. She ducked back, just in time for another loud clang of metal on metal to resonate through her.

"I don't want to hurt you!" Nerr shouted back. "Throw down your weapon, and we can talk!"

"Ha! Throw down my weapon! That's a good one, Nohrian." Another clang.

"My lady is trying to spare your life, Oni. You would do well to consider her offer." Gunther's normally even tone was unusually short. Rinkah spat in disgust.

"That'd be more convincing coming from someone who doesn't reek of blood. How many of my countrymen's lives have _you_ spared, dastard?" Scowling deeply, the knight moved aside his shield, raising his lance high. ' _Don't_ _kill_ _her!_ ', Nerr wanted to scream but the words caught in her throat. He brought it down on the Hoshidan with a force that she had seen split a log, and there was a loud, indignant cry... but no blood. Bemused, the princess watched as the darker woman dropped her mace, stumbling back and clutching her shoulder, her face contorted in pain. Just as Jakob had done earlier, Gunther had essentially crippled her main arm, leaving her defenseless.

"Perhaps now she will listen, though I highly doubt it." Sighing, Nerr approached the woman, who backed away, glaring at her with hate-filled eyes.

"This fight is over. Yield, and I will see that mercy is shown."

"Tch. And what does a Nohrian know of mercy? You'll only torture me a little before I'm executed? I'd sooner trust rabid wolves than you barbarians."

"Watch your tongue, Hoshidan. I am trying to spare you."

"Spare me your _lies_. You may kill me, but ten more will take my place. Your tyrannical kingdom will burn, and then your wicked people will be the ones begging to be spared-"

Rinkah stopped with a strangled groan. Nerr had slammed the pommel of her sword into the other woman's gut as hard as she could, knocking the wind- as well as the insults- out of her. She leaned close to the prisoner, whispering in her ear, "Stay down if you have any sense of self preservation." Then she pulled away, letting her slump to the floor, the same as the others. Jakob walked over, surveying the scene with a distasteful look on his face.

"You have more self control than I, Lady Nerr. I'd have just slit her throat and called it a day." Nerr sighed deeply, leaning against the wall of the cubicle and sliding down it to the floor. Her legs felt like jelly, and everything was spinning.

"Then you'd be a better addition to the ranks of the army than me."

000

Nerr had desperately wanted to rest a bit after her first encounter with Hoshidan forces, but as they said, there was no rest for the weary. The guards had gone around the room, collecting the prisoner's remains and bringing them to the front of the antechamber for King Garon's inspection. Three of them were dead, two by Nerr's own hand- she had not realized it at first, but the rubble she had sent flying with the Dragon Vein had crushed one of the prisoners. They could only pull half of his corpse free from the stone that had landed on him, leaving a long bloody streak along the floor.

The other three had simply been knocked unconscious, and were quickly coming to. Hoisted to her feet with great difficultly by her retainers, Nerr limped to the front of the chamber as well. Her hands felt numb and, though the room was no longer spinning as it had been, she felt nauseous. The sight of the dead Hoshidans, tossed aside like trash, brought bile rushing up her throat. She swallowed hard, trying to ignore that fact that she was still caked in their blood. The king's eyes were hard as surveyed the scene.

"I've dealt with the prisoners, Father." She said, her voice not nearly as strong as it had been first when she came to the castle. Garon's frown grew more pronounced.

"Not all of them. Those three still live." Feeling as if she had just been dunked in ice water, Nerr forced herself not to cringe or back away.

"What does it matter that they still live? They can fight no more, they are in our custody. Surely that is enough?"

"You dare presume to tell me how to deal with a foreign threat?! I ordered you to kill the Hoshidans; do as your king commands and finish them, idiot girl!"

Nerr looked back over her shoulder at the prisoners. They trembled with the effort of keeping upright in their weakened state. Nearly half of Suzukaze's face was mottled purple from where Jakob had struck him, his left eye nearly swollen shut. Rinkah's right arm hung limp, an equally nasty bruise spreading over her collar and stomach. The other solider, who's name she didn't know, also clutched his right arm, his sleeve torn and drenched in blood. They were unarmed, defenseless, at her mercy. They were weak, and Nerr was painfully aware of what it meant to be weak. Setting her jaw, she turned back to her father, her own eyes narrowed in anger as she met his. The only similarity between them was their crimson eyes, the one trait none of her siblings shared.

"I will not." Her voice was unexpectedly strong, echoing loudly in the chamber. Around her, quiet gasps in unison seemed to draw away the air.

"...what did you say, girl?"

"I said I will not execute unarmed prisoners."

"They are enemies of Nohr!"

"They can't even stand! How can they be a threat to us?!"

"I do not need to explain myself to you, you stupid child..."

Raising his hand, another glowing seal surrounding him, Garon unleashed a ball of fire into the prisoners. Nerr felt the heat of it singe her hair as it flew past her. Rinkah and Suzukaze managed to throw themselves out of the way, but their fellow prisoner was not so lucky. The flames engulfed him and he screamed in agony, falling to the ground and writhing desperately, trying to put out the fire. But magical flame did not extinguish until it was no longer needed, the tongues burning brighter and brighter as his skin blistered and peeled off in bloody flakes. The stench of burning skin and hair turned Nerr's stomach and she retched. It felt as if he were screaming in her ear, begging, Gods please save me!, but no one would listen. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the screaming stopped, as did the thrashing, and at once, the flames died away. The scraps of cloth that had not burnt away still smoldered, his armor glowing red hot as his charred corpse continued to smoke.

Still not satisfied, Garon raised his hand yet again, channeling another magical blast, this time in the direction of the shinobi. Nerr's body moved of it's own accord, throwing herself between the Hoshidan man and the inferno which threatened to consume him. Her sword had been raised, the dense stone blocking most of the blast, though she still felt her clothes and hair burn. Her fingers were blistering as the cloth of her gloves burned away, and she nearly dropped her sword. Breathing hard, she barely noticed the panicked cries from her siblings.

"Nerr!" Elise sounded close to tears. "What are you-"

"Gods, Nerr, have you lost your mind?!" Xander's voice held more disbelief than fear. Their father glared hatefully at her, his every word laced with venom.

"You would defy me directly, Nerr? For _Hoshidans_?!" _'For anyone_ ', she wanted to retort, but her lips were so chapped she could barely open them. Xander rushed forward, his brows draw tightly together in concern.

"Father, please, forgive her! She knows not what she does, her exhaustion has addled her mind..."

"...then you dispatch them in her stead, Xander. And if anyone tries to stop you... kill them too."

Looking grim, Xander stepped forward, unsheathing Siegfried, it's aura similar to her own Ganglari. Though he stood tall, his eyes were filled with misery as he looked down at his younger sister.

"Stand down, Nerr. You've done your part, you've made your point. Now let me finish this."

"Xander, no!" She cried, her voice breaking. "This is wrong, you _know_ it's wrong! You always said we do not kill innocents!"

"These are not innocents, sister. They are Hoshidan soldiers, and they must be dealt with."

"No! You don't want to do this, brother, and I won't let you!" She raised her sword, but even had she been at full strength, she knew she would not be able to withstand the crown prince's blows for long. He slashed at her, his movements fluid and with nary a trace of the hesitation that permeated her own. It felt as if she had been struck with a battering ram, and she could not hold back the pained scream that tore itself from her throat. Blindly, she swung back, her own blade stopped by his buckler, as he struck again, bringing her to her knees. Coughing, she gasped for air, tears streaming down her face from the pain.

"Damn it all, Nerr..." Xander sounded as if his own blows had been dealt back to him. "Why are you protecting them? They're Hoshidans, our sworn enemies. They would kill you without a thought; what do you hope to accomplish by throwing your life away for them?"

Groaning weakly, Nerr clung to her sword for balance. She didn't know how much longer she could remain conscious, much less upright. She couldn't remember ever being in this much pain. Every breath was agony, and there was an unpleasant metallic tang in her mouth.

"I know that, Xander..." she whispered, unable to raise her voice any higher. "But... they can't fight anymore. Who would it hurt to show them mercy? Why must death be the only way...?" Behind her, the quiet sound of weeping filled the air.

"Nerr, dearest, _please stop this_..." Camilla pleaded. "You can't win, let it go..."

"No no no... I don't like this..." Elise's voice was choked with sobs. "Leo, do something...!" The young boy groaned loudly.

" 'Leo this', 'Leo that'- why am I the one who always has to clean up your messes?"

Raising his Brynhildr tome, he closed his eyes, channeling it's power, the same runes illuminating the air around him that their father had summoned. Nerr barely had a chance to realize what he was doing before he waved his hand. The floor around them trembled, and the stone tiles exploded loudly, sending dirt and shrapnel flying. Large trees, their trunks gnarled and twisted, leafy foliage hiding razor sharp branches, appeared beneath the prisoners. They cried out as they were flung away, hitting the ground with dull thumps a few feet away. The branches had dug bloody slashes into them, and they lay still. It was as if a hand had clenched around Nerr's chest, keeping her from breathing. After all that... she had tried so hard to be merciful, to be kind, and they had died anyway. Nothing she did had made any difference. Distantly, she heard Leo speak to their father, his voice as smug as it always was when he proved he was better than her.

"Father. I have dispatched our enemies on behalf of my softhearted sister. I would only ask that you be lenient in your punishment of her..."

"That is enough." Garon snarled, turning on his heel, his cloak flying out around him. "I will hear no more of this." His armor clanked loudly as he withdrew into the depths of the castle, the large wooden doors slamming shut behind him. Nerr shut her eyes tightly, willing the tears to stop but unable to halt their flow.

 _Softhearted_ , Leo had called her, the word dripping with disdain. She had disgraced her family, and for what? For Hoshidan prisoners who ended up killed anyway? Rinkah's bitter words to her earlier came back, the truth of them cutting. _'_ _And what does a Nohrian know of mercy? You'll only torture me a little before I'm executed?_ _'_ Nerr wanted to prove her wrong, to show that Nohrians weren't like that... but it seemed that they were. There was more quiet clanging that stopped as a pair of boots stopped before her.

"How long are you going to sit there feeling sorry for yourself?" Leo asked, and she could practically hear the twist of his lips as he sneered at her. She weakly swung Ganglari at his legs, not at all surprised when he nimbly ducked out of the way.

"How could you, Leo?!" She half sobbed, half screamed at him. "They were weak, and unarmed. They couldn't fight back! There was no reason to kill them...!"

"I know. Now shut your trap." Nerr looked up at him weakly. He was smirking at her, but not in the condescending way she was used to.

"Leo... what are you...?"

"That's enough, you two." Xander approached them, sheathing his blade, but still looking grim. He pulled his sister to her feet, scowling and paying no mind to her pained whimper. "You should be ashamed of yourself, disobeying a direct order from your king. By right, I should've executed you."

"Then why didn't you?" she snapped back. "You clearly have no qualms about murdering innocent people." The crown prince groaned, rubbing his temples as if he were getting a headache.

"They are _not_ innocent, Nerr. But you are, and that is the only reason I stayed my hand. You have grown up away from the world, knowing only what you've read in books. Father is wrong to think you can so quickly grasp what is expected of you in war."

"Don't insult my intelligence, brother. I understand full well that people must die in war. But I can't bring myself to kill someone who can't defend themselves against my attack. That's when it stops being justified, and becomes murder." Xander sighed deeply.

"As the gods are my witness, Nerr, your soft heart will be the death of you one day."

"Then I'll die with a clean conscious."

"Heh. Well said. Guards!" He called out to the sentries posted by the door. "Bring those prisoner's remains to my chambers. I wish to examine their belongings."

"Right away, sire!"

Nerr frowned, confused. What interest would Xander have in the prisoners? Surely if they had been carrying anything of importance, it would've been taken when they were first captured. And why only those two, Suzukaze and Rinkah? Slowly, an understanding dawned on her.

"Leo... your spell..."

"Was only enough to knock them out." He affirmed. "Trust me; there wouldn't be anything left if I'd killed them. Unlike you, I know my duty to my kingdom. But if I actually _did_ kill them, you'd cry like a little bitch, and Camilla and Elise would never let me hear the end of it. You're just as spoiled as she is."

"I know." She whispered, shame faced. "But thank you Leo. Truly, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. I'm sorry I made fun of your clothes... and your... curiosity."

"Apologize by never bringing it up again."

"And for calling you an arrogant little cross dresser..."

"Wait, you never called me a cross dresser."

"Not to your face." Leo made an indignant sputtering noise, but was interrupted from actually retorting by Elise running over and throwing her arms around his neck.

"That was great, big bro! You're so smart! Trust our Leo to come up with a brilliant plan like that!" Camilla was not nearly as enthused as she walked over, her brows drawn together.

"I agree; the gods blessed our dear brother with a superior cunning... But all it's done is buy Nerr time, I fear. Father never forgets a slight, and the more time he has to stew in this injustice, the harsher he'll be."

"The we just have to appologize right away!" Elise beamed, detaching herself from Leo to take her sister's hand. "I'll go with you!"

"I-I appreciate that, Elise, but..." Nerr pulled away, feeling the room spin yet again. She stumbled a bit before falling to her knees and heaving, vomit splattering across stone floor, added to the blood and filth caked on it. It was hard to imagine that it had ever been clean, but she knew it had, she had walked through this room to join the dancing in the throne room. Every time she retched, it felt as if her ribs were breaking, but she couldn't stop. Gentle hands pulled her hair back from her face and stroked her back.

"It's alright, Lady Nerr." Jakob's voice was soothing to her ears after what felt like hours of yelling and screams. "Better out than in."

After Nerr was certain she had thrown up everything she'd ever eaten, she let Jakob and Xander prop her up against one of the pillars in the room. As Jakob waved his heal staff over her, she gritted her teeth against the burning itch of her wounds knitting themselves shut. She could feel her bones grinding against each other, the realization that her ribs had been broken twice in one day only coming as a dull shock. Her blistering skin had already begun to heal by the time she'd sat down, leaving only a faint redness behind. For years, her retainers had been utterly baffled by the quickness with which she recovered from wounds. Once, she'd had horrible chilblains on her feet, and two days later, it was as if she had never set foot in the cold. Nerr did not understand her body's resilience, nor did she care to. She was simply grateful for it. But even as she was being physically repaired, she could feel her hands shaking. A much larger hand closed over them, halting their trembling.

"You'll be fine, Lady Nerr." Gunther whispered, kneeling beside her. She laughed humorlessly.

"Really? Because I feel as if I'll never be fine again."

"Everyone feels like that the first time they take another's life. All of your siblings felt the same, as did most everyone in the Nohrian army. I can't count the number of people who start retching their first time on the battlefield." Nerr was quiet for a long time, the pain in her ribs finally subsiding, but her heart still pounding.

"...and you? Did you feel like this at first?"

"Of course. I am only human, after all." That went against everything she believed about the old knight, but she humored him.

"Does it ever stop?"

"...it gets easier."

"But does it stop? Does it ever get better?" Gunther sighed deeply, rubbing his thumb over her sore knuckles.

"If I ever find out, I'll be sure to tell you."

000

Finally able to walk on her own feet, Nerr accompanied her eldest sibling to his quarters. He had a large wing to himself, complete with it's own courtyard. She could see tall mountains over the walls of the bailey. On the other side of those mountains, he told her, lay the country of Hoshido. Camilla and Leo had been keeping watch, ensuring that the guards were sent away, as they dragged the prone forms of the two surviving prisoners outside. Muttering under his breath, Xander had thrown a concoction over them, their wounds closing up as they sputtered awake.

"Where- where are we? What's happened?" The green haired man looked around wildly.

"You are in the eastern courtyard of Castle Krakenburg." Xander intoned. Rinkah scowled up at him.

"What, are you going to execute us publicly?"

"Do you see any crowds here?"

"There will be no more executions today." Nerr said quietly. "I told you there would be mercy, and I intend to keep my word."

"What are you saying...?" Suzukaze asked, his brows furrowing. Xander took it upon himself to answer.

"Your lives have been spared. But make no mistake, it is only my sister's kind heart that has bought your freedom. Leave now, lest our king sees you... and keep in mind that if you are spotted near our borders again, there will be _no_ mercy."

The shinobi stared at her, eyes scrutinizing. She met his gaze evenly, but there was something about it that made her uncomfortable. He looked at her too intently, too familiarly, as if he knew her. But that was impossible- she knew no Hoshidans. The only ones she'd ever seen in person had tried to kidnap her twelve years ago, and all of them had been put to death. Before she could confront him as to why he stared at her so, he took off running, disappearing into the shadows or the yard's wall. Rinkah, just as before, preferred to run her mouth than listen to reason.

"Do you expect gratitude from me? Because you'll get none. I am no hostage to be 'freed'." She rounded on Nerr too. "You. _Princess_. You said your name is Nerr?"

"Of house Krakenburg, and you'd do well to remember that, Rinkah of the Flame Tribe." The other woman scoffed loudly.

"Don't think your Nohrian title means anything to me. When next we meet, you'll pay for this insult against my people." The princess scoffed as well.

"Personally, I pray I never see you again, but if we do have the displeasure of meeting in the future, I should hope it is in peace, and that we may be able to speak civilly."

"You softhearted fool. There can be no peace between us, as you know full well. We are at war!"

"Yes. For now. But all wars must end sometime." Nerr remembered Elise's words to her earlier that day. "Rather than dwell on death and destruction, I'd prefer to prepare for the days of peace that lay ahead." For a long time, Rinkah was silent, staring at Nerr as if she had sprouted another head. When she spoke, she sounded thoughtful.

"I'd heard rumors of a sheltered, Nohrian princess who knows nothing of the world. It seems those rumors are true. I too pray I never see you again, but if we do meet, I don't doubt the world will have crushed your naive outlook."

"Do you never shut up? Just go before the guards arrive." Smirking in the same self-important way Leo so often did, she took off in the direction of her companion. The moment she was gone from sight, Xander spoke up.

"Loathe as I am to admit it, she has a point."

"Not now, Xander. I have too many things to think about without hearing how stupid I am..."


	4. The First Step

000000000000

Ch. 4- "The First Step"

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It was decided that it was for the best if Nerr approached their father the next day, hoping that he would wake in a better mood. She was also grateful for the rest, taking the opportunity to bathe and trim her singed hair. The dried blood crusted to her skin had taken ages to clean, and it had been everywhere; caked around her cuticles and under her nails, between her toes, splattered across her face. As she stood up from the cooling bathwater, looking down at it's murky, rust-color, she realized she must've looked a fright. She felt a newfound respect for the brave soldiers of the land, enduring horrors such as this day in and out, for the good of the country.

Killing did not come easily to her, and she sincerely doubted she would be able to end someone's life once they no longer held a sword, but she vowed that she would do as much as she could for the sake of her country. It was her duty, it was what was expected of her. Xander and Camilla and Leo had fought and killed, and one day, even sweet Elise would be expected to. Nerr's hands clenched into tight fists. She did not want her little sister to endure what she had, to feel that crushing guilt and sorrow... She would do all in her power to ensure the war was over before it came to that. Perhaps one day, children like Elise could be friends with Hoshidan children... but that was a long way off...

000

Early the next morning, Elise walked with Nerr down the sprawling corridor that led to the throne room. She had only been this far into the castle once before, so she was grateful for the guide... not to mention, the support. She had to appologize to their father and pray he would forgive her. Personally, Nerr did not feel she should _have_ to appologize, for as far as she was concerned, she was right and Father was wrong. But that was not the way the world worked- she had disobeyed the king. It was only by Leo's intervention that her head was not already on a pike in the courtyard, but that was still a possibility. As if sensing the path her older sister's thoughts were taking, Elise squeezed her hand tighter, beaming up at her.

"Don't worry, Nerr. Everything's gonna be fine. You heard what Xander said last night- if Father hasn't killed you already, he probably won't!" The older girl smiled weakly.

"Yes... that is a relief. But at this point, execution isn't what I'm afraid of..."

There were things that were worse than death, things that would leave one _begging_ for death. Deep in the back of her mind, those hazy memories that she could never quite grasp played out, with no defined shape or noise, just... impressions. Darkness and pain and terror... She was grateful she did not clearly remember whatever had happened back then, but she did not want a new memory to replace it with. They stopped at a tall set of double doors, beautiful esoteric engravings running the length of them, the Nohrian royal crest all the way at the top. The youngest princess rocked back and forth on her heels, not looking the least bit worried.

" 'kay, Nerr. Let's go in there together. Try to look cute and pitiful, like you do when you want something from Xander." Nerr gasped, affronted.

"I do _not_ look pitiful when I want something from Xander!"

"Sure you do! Your eyebrows get all scrunched up and you pout and you're all like, ' _pleeeeaaaaseee?'_ " Elise pulled a rather ridiculous looking face, batting her eyelashes up at her sister, who scoffed, turning away in a huff.

"I do _not_ look like that, under any circumstance."

"You look like that all the time, and now's the best time to look like that. Don't worry, I'll look pitiful too, so Father will be sure to forgive you." Nerr sighed, wondering, praying that any chance of this affront being forgiven wasn't just a baseless wish.

"I pray you're right, Elise..."

"Sure I am! Okiee doke, here goes!" She walked up to the door, taking the large bronze knocker and hitting it against it's metal base with some difficulty. "Father?" She called through the door. "Um, we wanted to talk to you about last night-" She was cut off suddenly by a loud burst of raucous laughter. It was so startling and unexpected that Nerr actually leapt back, her hand instinctively going for Ganglari's hilt. That voice... it _sounded_ like their father, but surely it couldn't be. Nerr had never known him to laugh. She had never even thought it was possible. Just like smiling, it seemed his face simply wasn't made to move that way.

"Elise," she whispered frantically. "What in all the hells was that?!"

"I think it was Father." She whispered back, just as perturbed. "It sounds like he's with someone... Let's come back later..." They had just begun tiptoeing away when an angry voice called out to them, somewhat muffled by the door, but still loud enough for them to freeze in their tracks.

"Who dares disturb me?! Identify yourself!"

"Um... it's Elise and Nerr. We're sorry to bother you, Father... We didn't know you were busy..." Swallowing hard, Nerr spoke up as well, her voice even more uncertain than her sister's.

"Yes... please excuse us, Father. We apologize if now is a bad time."

"You two..." He growled. "What is so important that you feel the need to disturb the king?" Nerr was deeply tempted to say, 'nothing whatsoever!', and run away in the other direction as quickly as her feet would carry her, but Elise grabbed her hand once more, holding her in place.

"Uhm, Nerr came to apologize to you! Right, sis?"

"Y-yes, that's right. Father, I am so deeply sorry for questioning you last night. There is nothing that can excuse my behavior, and I only pray that you can find it in your heart to forgive me..." The king was silent, and she wrung her hands, wishing he would hurry up and say something, _anything_ , rather than leave her in suspense. Finally, after what seemed an eternity,

"...you may enter."

Letting out the breath she had unconsciously been holding, Nerr stepped forward, putting all her weight against the door to open them. The throne room was just as dark and dreary as the antechamber, the only difference was the deep red carpet that lead from the doorway to the throne. Built deep into the ground, the earth itself seemed intent on reclaiming the castle, thick tangled roots twisting along the walls, the stone cracking where they dug into it. It made the very castle seem as a living, breathing creature, and for one dreadful moment, Nerr wondered what would happen if the roots suddenly clenched, like a hand, crumpling the thick pillars and buttresses like a piece of paper.

She shook her head to clear it; she had no time for such silly flights of fancy. High above them, King Garon sat on his throne, slouched in a way that seemed very un-kingly, resting his chin on his palm, and glaring down at them. She spared a quick glance around the room, wondering who her father had been talking to before he was interrupted. As far as she could see, the vast room was empty... which meant he must've been laughing at something he'd thought of himself. She had no desire to know what kind of horrid thing could make him laugh like a madman.

"Nerr... you defied a direct order from me... Normally, the price for such treason is a slow, drawn-out death." That was exactly what she had been dreading. Breathing deeply, Nerr straightened her shoulders, meeting her father's gaze. If she was to die, she would not die cowering.

"Yes, Father. I understand."

"Noo!" Elise, on the other had, was not nearly as composed. She ran in front of her sister, as if to shield her herself. "Father, please don't!"

"Silence, Elise." Garon held a hand up, and the young girl clapped her hands over her mouth. He turned his attention back to Nerr, his glare loosing some of it's intensity. "That being said... you are my daughter. I have no desire to execute my own children, no matter how... impertinent they are. You have proved that you are capable of killing, to a degree, so there is one final test I would have you do. If you complete your task within the week, I will grant you a full pardon." Nerr felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders.

"Truly, Father? Oh, thank you, thank you so much. What would you have me do?" It didn't matter what it was, Nerr was certain that this time, she would not disappoint. Garon leaned back on his throne.

"To the east lies the border of Nohr and Hoshido. There were once many villages there, but as of now, it is but ruins and abandoned fortresses. I would have you go there and inspect the forts closest to the border, to see if they are still serviceable. The lands are long abandoned, so there should be no fighting- I only ask you scout the terrain and bring back a full report. I think even _you_ should be able to do that much." Nerr cringed slightly at his bitter tone. She hated disappointing Father, it killed her inside. "Do you understand, my daughter? I will not tolerate being disappointed a second time..."

"No, Father, I understand perfectly. I won't let you down..."

000

The moment her father had dismissed her, Nerr had gone and begun making preparations, telling her retainers what their next mission was, having Lilith ready the horses, gathering supplies. She had never had so much responsibility before. Back at the citadel, her duties were always the same- combat training, and "character building" (practicing her violin and piano and needlework), and studying history and diplomacy and tactics. Training to be the perfect princess, that was all that was expected of her. Now, _she_ made the plans and decided the schedule. It was daunting, but at the same time, she felt more alive than she had in years. Her siblings had all gathered in the throne room, wanting to speak with her one last time before she was set to depart. Father was off somewhere, so they spoke freely. Camilla had pulled her into a tight hug and, once again, Nerr was making a great effort not to be smothered.

"No, I don't like this at all..." The eldest princess bemoaned, stroking her sister's hair and paying no heed to her struggle. "How can Father expect you to go to the border and back in a week's time? It takes nearly four days just to get there when the weather is fair. Not to mention the roads are over run with bandits in the cold months... " Nerr chuckled.

"You act as if I'm going to the ends of the world all by myself. Jakob and Gunther will be with me."

"Yes, and if you were going with Gunther and another trained solider, I wouldn't be so worried. But a butler? What's he going to do, offer your assailants tea?" She thought about that for a moment.

"Well... if it was Felicia offering them tea, that would be a viable combat strategy. But it'll be fine, Camilla- Jakob's had the same training as me, he can hold his own. Now stop worrying, I'll be fine. It's just a few abandoned forts in No Man's Land. How scary can it be?" Leo sighed loudly, shaking his head in exasperation.

"You're being rather blasé about this, sister, considering you've already mucked up one of Father's orders miserably. Camilla's got a point; there are more ways that you can die out there than I can count. There's bandits, and slave traders, and wild wyverns-"

"Wait, slave traders? Why would you even-?"

"Truth be told, I'm not expecting you to come back in one piece... if at all." With a quickness one would not expect from her, Elise reached up and slapped Leo over the back of his head, with enough force to send him stumbling.

"Damn it, Elise, that hurt! What was that for?!"

"For trying to scare Nerr on her first mission, you bully!" She turned, smiling sweetly at her sister. "Don't worry, sis, Leo's just being a worrywart. He tries to act like he doesn't care, but deep down, he cares more than any of us." Nerr smiled at her younger brother, who scowled and looked away. Tearing herself from Camilla's grasp, she drew Leo into a hug, pressing her cheek against his.

"Awwww... you care about me...?" He scoffed.

"You act as if that's some big surprise. You _are_ my sister... as embarrassing as that is, at times."

"I care about you too, Leo." Camilla stepped forward.

"I care too, Nerr, too much to let you do this alone. I'll have to come along, just to make sure nothing happens that you're not prepared for. Otherwise, I'll probably die from worry."

"Now, now, princess. We both know I can't let you do that." An unctuous voice called out, and the siblings turned to see a pale man seemingly materialize from the shadows of the throne. He wore a sorcerer's robes, the gold of his head dress and collar glinting in the torchlight. Camilla frowned at him.

"What do you mean, Iago?"

"You must keep in mind, Lady Camilla, that our king intends for this to be a test for our young princess, a trial by fire, so to speak. She _is_ a member of the royal family; how can she hope to help govern the country if she cannot journey to it's borders without aid?" He spoke with a smirk that suggested the matter was closed, but the eldest princess would not back down so easily.

"The royal family does _not_ deal with matters of the border without aid. That is why we have an army, in case you've forgotten; an army that should, by right, accompany Nerr. What if there are Hoshidans lurking about?" The minister scoffed quietly.

"I have coordinated this mission myself at King Garon's request. Rest assured, there are no foreign threats to worry about. You and your brothers have all done tasks without additional assistance, so it should not be too much to expect your sister to do the same. And truly, Lady Camilla, do you have _so_ little faith in Princess Nerr's abilities?"

Nerr had only met her father's chief advisor, Count Iago, once before, during the fete three years ago. Even back then, she had not cared for him; his thinly veiled insults grating her nerves until she snapped and told him that if he did not have the testicular fortitude needed to insult her directly to her face, then she had nothing more to say to him. Even now, the sarcastic way he said _Princess Nerr_ made her want to punch him in the throat, but even so, he did have a point.

"He's right, Camilla. The words burn my tongue, but he's right. I can do this on my own. I _need_ to do this on my own."

"Not completely on your own, Nerr..." She nearly jumped out of her skin as her father's voice echoed through the room.

"Forgive me, Father. I didn't notice you come in." He had come back into the room, accompanied this time by another man. The man was bald and heavily muscled, wearing thick leather armor lined with wolf pelts. He was quite pale, much like her, even by Nohrian standards.

"I am aware of the treacherous conditions of the roads this time of year. I would not send you out there with no defense. This is Hans, one of my most trusted guards. He will ensure no trouble befalls you." The man, Hans, stared at her unsmiling, but nodded his head.

"...Milady." Nerr forced herself to smile at her father, though she could not shake the sinking feeling in her stomach. Why would he lend her one of his personal guards on a journey that she was supposed to take alone. What trouble could he possibly be worried about?

"Thank you, Father. You are most generous." As her father turned his attention back to Hans, Xander approached her, leaning low to speak in her ear.

"Nerr. Do not let your guard down around that man."

"Huh?" Her voice was just as quiet. "What do you mean?"

"He is a criminal. He's stolen, murdered... done countless other things I wish I didn't have to think about. I arrested him myself."

"I thought he served Father?"

"He does, which make me worry all the more. Perhaps Father can keep him in line, but you... Whatever you do, do not let yourself be alone around him."

"Trust me, brother; I have no desire for such a situation to arise."

000

The journey to the border was not nearly as enjoyable as the one from the citadel to the castle, though that might have stemmed from the smaller traveling party. Nerr and Lilith and her retainers... and Hans. She tried her best to forget he was there, and given how quiet he was, it shouldn't have been hard. But still, he _was_ always there, every time she glanced over her shoulder, like some kind of gargoyle carved into the side of a church, lurking and watching. Nerr tried to keep her mind off the growing sense of unease she felt by taking in the scenery. It was nothing like what she had seen outside her windows. There were fields, and though they lay fallow now that the harvest was over, Gunther explained that, come summer, they would be overflowing with corn and fruit... given the drought did not continue into the next year. Eventually, the farmland grew sparser and sparser, overtaken by tall trees and dense forest.

Although Nerr had never been anywhere even similar to the lands near the border, she felt as if she somehow... knew of this place. It was like something from her fairytale books, and as they had to dismount and trudge through the denser undergrowth on foot, she wondered if she would hear quiet singing emanating from the depths of the woods. She'd heard of something like that, a long time ago, she was sure... but she couldn't be sure where she'd heard it, or when. It didn't matter, though. Other thoughts quickly distracted her. Like the ruins they sometimes passed. Though the land was all wilderness, occasionally, there would be a crumbled stone structure, trees pushing up it's foundation.

She had no idea what most of them were, having never seen any buildings beside the castle and citadel before in her life, but she was certain that one of them was an old church, a rusted bell amidst it's broken masonry and rotting beams. Jakob and Lilith had never been out this far from the capital, and she would rather lick a dirty boot than ask Hans anything, so she directed her curiosity to Gunther, as usual. Much to her dismay, he did not have much to say on the subject, other than that these lands were "dead", and were no place humans had any business being. The old knight was unusually grim as he hacked through the brambles and thick vines that slowed their progress, his jaw tight, frowning much more harshly than she'd even seen from him before.

Nerr wanted to ask what was wrong, to try and comfort him, but she was afraid that if she pestered him any more that he would snap and turn the hatchet in his hand at her. She did not like this Gunther; this sudden change reminded her of her father, and scared her. Sensing her distress, Jakob and Lilith kept close, occasionally resting a comforting hand on her shoulder, but remaining silent. Nerr prayed they would reach the border soon, and was already trying to think of another way back, that did not involve any "dead lands".

000

Four days into the trek, just as Camilla had said, and the Nohr-Hoshido border was finally in sight. The sky was dark, even by Nohrian standards, and long jagged lines of lightning lit the landscape. Nerr inhaled deeply, and frowned. There was not even a distant scent of rain in the air, yet the loud thunder implied they were walking into a storm. That alone made her uneasy, the steep incline they'd have to venture up to get to the forts the king wanted them to survey doing nothing to help.

Horses that weren't familiar with the terrain would only pose a hazard, especially if they spooked at the thunder which was much louder at the top of the cliffs. Lilith stayed behind with Pollux and Bravane (and whatever Hans' horse was called, he hadn't said), whilst the rest of them began the arduous journey to the top of the crag. It was nearly impossible to keep her footing (she had actually put on her boots, terrified of what the jagged rocks would do to her feet), and several times, she slid back down the embankment, digging her fingers into the rough stone and dirt to try and keep from falling off entirely. Her muscles screamed in protest, and sweat ran down her face and into her eyes, blinding her. These were not the conditions she was used to operating under.

She was not weak, not by any stretch; she could run laps for hours and swing a swords until it's hilt came loose, but she'd never had to climb like this, pulling herself up desperately with her nails which she could feel breaking through her gloves. Panting, and wishing she could just collapse on the side of the cliff and rest for a bit, she swore loudly as a large hand grabbed her bicep and pulled her back up to her feet. Wordlessly, Gunther half pulled, half carried her over to an narrow ledge where Caractacus was standing.

"I suggest you ride him, at least until we make it to the top, lest you end up back at the bottom."

"What? No, I don't need to- I can manage on my own-"

"No, you can't, Lady Nerr." Jakob had been sitting on the ledge as well, breathing just as hard as Nerr was, but still managing to look effortlessly prim and proper. "I admit this is hell in it's utmost, but even I'm having an easier time than you. I swear, every time I glance back at you, I expect to see a tiny speck tumbling down the side of the crag."

"...thank you, Jakob, for that vote of confidence."

"My lady, swallow your pride this one time, and let me help you. The faster we survey this fort, the faster we can leave this gods forsaken place..." It was not like her retainer to sound so bitter, and Nerr suddenly felt like a small child about to be scolded. Silently, she put her foot in the stirrups and mounted the horse, with greater ease than she used to. She kept her eyes fixed on the ground as Gunther took the reins and continued leading the trek upwards.

Though her throat was tight, Nerr swallowed her tears. It was bad enough she was a worthless burden, the last thing she needed was annoy anyone by crying like a- bitterly, she remembered how Leo had described it- _little bitch_. She was pitiful; certainly, if any of her other siblings had been sent on this mission, they would not need help. They probably would've been done already. It was these times, when she was made to realize just how utterly _worthless_ she really was, that Nerr wished she had never been born into the royal family. They deserved better than her blundering disgrace to drag them down. She wished a wild wyvern would swoop down and send her tumbling back down the embankment, out of her misery...

"I'm sorry, my lady..."

"Huh? What?" She started at the sudden, unexpected voice. For a minute, she wondered if it had just been in her head, and was about to dive back into her self loathing, when he spoke again.

"I said, I am sorry, Lady Nerr." Gunther's eyes remained focused on the jagged trail, and his voice was so quiet, nearly drowned out by the thunder, that if he hadn't called her by name, she never would've guessed he was speaking to her.

"...sorry? Sorry for what?"

"My behavior these past few days has been unacceptable. I've made you upset." It was deeply embarrassing that he could see through her that clearly, but, Nerr reminded herself, he had known her longer than anyone else, so it was hardly surprising that he could read her like a book. She forced herself to smile, hoping it would mask the misery she truly felt.

"It's fine, Gunther. Really."

"No, it isn't. I've been short with you-"

"And I can hardly blame you. I'd be short with me too if I had to babysit me..." the princess could not help the bitterness she felt creep into her own words. At this, her old retainer stopped suddenly, looking back at her. The sight of his brow furrowed like that left a pang in Nerr's heart. She wished she could reach out and stroke his head until he relaxed, like he used to do with her.

"My lady, you have done nothing to contribute to my foul mood during this journey. It is my duty to care for you, and I relish it." Poppycock, she wanted to huff, but in her heart, she longed for those words to be true, to know that she wasn't a terrible burden on him (and everyone else, but mostly him). Wringing her hands uncomfortably, Nerr forced herself to ask the question that had been eating away at her for days.

"Then... why are you so upset? What's wrong?" Sighing, Gunther turned away from her, leading his steed once more up the embankment.

"I do not care for this place, Lady Nerr. I've come out this way many times during my years of service, and each time, I prayed it would be the last." Technically, that answered her question, but it was not the complete answer she wanted.

"But _why_ don't you like it? What's wrong with it?"

"Heh. I forget you grew up in desolation. You do not know anything but. These lands were once alive. Now... only ghosts live here."

Nerr still wanted to ask more, but something about Gunther's tone told her to let it go. Biting her lip to keep silent, she raised her eyes for the first time since they'd begun climbing. The top was finally in view. Sighing in relief that she now had something else to occupy her thoughts, the young woman dismounted from the saddle, taking it upon herself to climb/crawl the few remaining yards to the top. She stopped suddenly as she reached the top of the ravine. There were bridges, rickety and falling apart, threaded between high peaks that jutted out from the canyon. It seemed that when lightning crashed above her now, it was so near she could almost feel it's heat. Glancing down, she felt her stomach clench painfully. The darkness below reminded her of her last nightmare. Shaking her head, she backed up a bit, straight into Jakob, who grabbed her arms lightly to keep her from starting.

"Easy, milady. We don't need you falling down either way."

"This must be what Hell looks like." she whispered to him. The butler shrugged, his ever present smile never faltering in her presence.

"To each his own. As far as I'm concerned, Hell is the courtyard of the citadel on training days." Nerr smiled, for the first time since they had left the castle. Gunther and Hans appeared behind them shortly, the knight astride on his horse once more. She approached him, keeping a close eye on her footing.

"Gunther, are you sure you should be riding here? Didn't you say yourself this is no place for horses?"

"For horses unfamiliar with the terrain, yes. But as I've said, I've been out this way many time, and so has Caractacus. I dare say I trust his footing around here more than my own."

Slowly, they made their way over one of the bridges, the way it creaked and swayed in the wind as they crossed it making Nerr's heart race painfully, especially every time she glanced down into the darkness below. Whimpering, she backed up, freezing for a moment as Jakob caught her once more and gently pushed her forward.

"Keep on ahead, Lady Nerr. Surly we have to be near this bloody border soon..."

"We're on the border, Jakob." Gunther called out from the head of the bridge. "The Infinite Chasm is the natural divide between our lands."

"In- infinite?" Nerr asked weakly. "That's... that's just a name, right? I mean... it can't go on forever; there has to be a bottom... right?"

"Let the darkness below be your answer, my lady. If there _is_ a bottom, I sincerely doubt anyone's ever lived to see it. Gods above, I hate this place..." Nerr tiptoed forward, desperate to get off the bridge as quickly as possible.

"Couldn't we have found another route?"

"Certainly we _could_ , but we are on a schedule, and the forts we came to survey are just on the other side of the ravine." A sudden gust sent the bridge swaying violently, everyone (aside from Gunther) grabbing onto the fraying, weathered ropes that held the bridge up to keep from falling. Nerr dropped to her knees, shutting her eyes tightly as if to block out the horrors around her.

"Oh gods, I don't want to die out here on a rickety bridge! Mortals were not meant to tread these grounds!" Clutching to the rope just as tightly as she was, Jakob slowly made his way over to her, his smile looking just a bit strained.

"Haven't you always said you wanted to go on an adventure, Lady Nerr? Somewhere far from the citadel?"

"Not where a dilapidated rope bridge is the only thing standing between me and certain death! Adventure be damned, I want to go home where it's safe!"

"Then we'd best finish up here."

Shaking, and refusing to take her hands off the worn rope, Nerr forced herself to put one foot in front of the other. She could see one of the forts in the distance, and there was a piece of solid land not ten feet from her. Sighing in relief that the nightmare was almost over, she quickened her pace, stopping short as a man in Hoshidan garb, the same as the prisoner she'd killed, ran over from the other side of the ravine, stopping in front of the bridge she and her companions were on, his sword drawn. It felt as if her heart had turned to ice as she scanned the area. All over, from seemingly nowhere, Hoshidans were appearing, armed with swords and bows. Behind her, Gunther cursed under his breath.

"It would appear these forts aren't as abandoned as we were led to believe..."

"What's going on?" She asked, as if anyone would have the answer. "Why are there Hoshidans here?" The solider before her stepped onto the bridge, his sword level with Nerr's throat. Her hand went for the hilt of her own blade.

"Halt your advance, Nohrians!" From the other side of the ravine, a louder, gruffer voice called out to them.

"Crossing that bridge is a direct violation of our border treaty! Turn back now, or we will attack!" Nerr backed up, never taking her eyes off the blade in front of her.

"Lady Nerr? What should we do?" Jakob asked, his voice barely audible over the howling winds and thunderclaps.

"...we turn back. We didn't come here to violate any treaties. Father wanted to know about the fort? Well, it's crawling with Hoshidans." Raising her voice, Nerr hoped it could carry across the ravine. "We're leaving! We did not come here with the intention of fighting, so let us go in peace!"

"Very prudent, my lady."

"Yeah... I'm afraid I can't let you do that..." For a long moment, the princess could not figure out who had spoken. It was too close to be one of the Hoshidans... she turned to see Hans push his way forward, a cruel smile twisting his face, as he unhooked a large ax from his belt.

"What nonsense are you spouting, Hans?"

"None of your business, old man!"

There was a feral look in his eyes as he ran forward, knocking Nerr out of the way. She hit the bridge hard, her arm breaking through the rotting wood, and by the time she had pulled herself free, Hans had descended on the Hoshidan solider. He barely had time to scream as the ax tore through the air, connecting with his neck and slicing through it with the greatest of ease. The soldier's head went flying, with an arc of brilliant red blood, bouncing onto the barren ground before rolling into the ravine. For a moment, the headless body stood upright, blood gushing from the neck like a fountain, before it collapsed onto the bridge.

Such a thing was undoubtedly a common sight on a battlefield, but to Nerr, it was new and horrible. She screamed, scrambling back to get away from the blood as it ran down towards her. Jakob pulled her to her feet, pushing her behind his own body as Hans laughed manically.

"Nohrian bastards! You'll pay for this!"

"Damn you, Hans!" Nerr broke away from her retainers, unsheathing her sword as she went and leveling it at the bald man's throat. "I said we were pulling back! What the hell have you done?!" The other man merely scoffed

"I did what I do best." Feeling rage build up inside her, she pressed the tip of her blade into his skin, drawing a bead of blood.

"You dare disobey my orders?! I don't know who the hell you think you are in the castle, but you are nothing out here but a peon!"

"Ha! I could say the same for you! It's cute, that you think you have any power over anything. Gods, the rumors were true- you really _are_ naive. And now you're going to die without even realizing just how stupid and insignificant you are."

Still laughing to himself, Hans rushed off, towards another group of soldiers, his ax glistening with flesh blood. Nerr turned away, but could not block out the screams of the slaughtered soldiers. Across the ravine, she could hear the man she assumed was the commander yelling to his troops.

"Soldiers! Do whatever it takes and slaughter every one of those Nohrian savages!"

"What should we do?" Nerr asked, feeling her heart thundering. "Can we run?"

"I'm afraid not, my lady. They'd be on us before we made it halfway down the embankment." Jakob sounded nearly as grim as Gunther.

"Well, we can't face them. We're outnumbered; they'll slaughter us!"

"Well... uh... maybe we don't need to deal with all of them." Nerr tried desperately to organize her thoughts, but it was impossible when they were being interrupted by screams in the distance. "If we can subdue their commander, they'll probably fall back to regroup. He's over by the fort, he has to be."

"I suppose that's the best plan we have..." Jakob sighed, looking over to where Hans' massacre was taking him, this time another fort that was teeming with Hoshidans. "What should we do about Hans? He's outnumbered- they'll kill him." Nerr followed his gaze, taking in the sheer number of archers training their bows on the evil man. Her lips twisted into a hateful scowl.

"Good. His corpse can buy us some time."

Unfortunately, it seemed that the only way over to the fortress was across another rickety bridge that led straight into the archer-filled death trap. Breathing hard and panting, Nerr tried to see if there was another route across. She stumbled over a tree root sticking out of the ground and fell, much too close to the edge of the ravine for her liking. As she scrambled to get up, she felt a familiar tingle through her arms. The ground at the edge of the ravine... the same energy she had felt in Castle Krakenburg flowed through it. Calling her retainers over, she got to her feet and channeled the energy through her hands. She had no idea what would happen, but hopefully, it would be something useful. There was a loud, thundering sound, much like the one she'd heard in the castle when she'd used the Dragon Vein there.

This time, she saw what was happening. Large stones from the depths of the ravine floated up, joining together tightly as if they were being laid by an invisible hand. Within a matter of seconds, a bridge had formed over the ravine, as if it had always been there naturally. The Hoshidans on the other side, drew back in terror, and in that moment of uncertainty, Nerr and Jakob ran over, blades flashing as they sank into the flesh not covered by their armor. Wryly, she wondered why they even wore armor when it covered so little. As she pulled Ganglari out of some poor archer's gut, she twisted the blade to make sure he would stay down. Sometimes, Gunther told her during training sessions, people lived for quite a long time after being stabbed, as long as it did not tear their organs. Which was why she needed to ensure that she did that. As the body fell to the ground, coating her armor in hot blood, she looked over at Jakob. He had twisted his own opponent (that sounded better in her mind than 'victim') into a painful looking hold, and was currently stabbing him repeatedly in the abdomen, completely unfazed by the spray of blood staining his clothes and face.

It was disheartening to think that yesterday, she had been willing to die to spare others their lives, and today, she was killing in cold blood and barely felt anything. She was becoming cold, and she did not like it. But Nerr forced herself to focus on the issue at hand, which was getting herself and her retainers out alive. She turned her attention to the fortress, which was being guarded by a single man. It seemed odd at first, until she remembered that all his comrades had either been killed by her party and Hans, or were guarding the other fort. The Hoshidan was dressed in a garb similar to what Suzukaze had worn. She fixed him with a cold stare, pointing her blade at him.

"We don't want to fight. Call off your troops and we can avoid more unnecessary bloodshed." The shinobi laughed darkly.

"You either take me for a fool, or you're a fool yourself. You come out here, instigate a battle, slaughter my men, and then call for a truce?! Do you even realize what you've done here today!? Hoshido will not stand for unprovoked attacks like this! You have brought destruction upon your country, and you will _all_ be made to pay us back in blood!"

Before Nerr could even think of a retort, he began throwing the same metal stars that the prisoner had unleashed on her. And just the same, the ones that hit the chinks in her armor and exposed flesh sunk in deeply, leaving her weak and dizzy. Growling in frustration (why would nobody just agree to talk about things with her?), she dashed forward, slashing at the man with her blade. It tore through his clothes and skin, but she could feel that it was not deep enough to kill him. Grunting in pain, he pulled out a strange looking dagger and lunged at her. Fear, rather than any conscious thought, sent her hands up, Ganglari forgotten, leaving them cut and bloody rather than her throat, but he continued pressing the blade further down, and she was not sure how much longer she could hold him off. In the distance, she could galloping hoof beats, that steadily grew louder and louder until-

"Urk!" With a noise that sounded like a cross between choking and gurgling, the shinobi dropped his blade, slumping against Nerr. Something sharp scrapped against her armor, and she chanced a glance down to see the point of a spearhead protruding from his chest. Blood gathered in the corners of his mouth as he gasped for air. "This isn't... over..." he rasped at her, bloody flecks spittle landing on her face. "This... means... war..." With those last words, his full weight fell against her. Whimpering in disgust, she heaved him off of her, cringing as he hit the ground loudly. The shaft of a lance stuck up from his back, and Gunther rode up, tugging on it until it came loose with a sickening squelch.

"My apologies, my lady. I would've come sooner, but I was ambushed a bit back." Nerr looked back to the other side of the ravine, feeling her stomach turn at the sight of at least three corpses piled up at the foot of the new bridge.

"No, I'm sorry you had to deal with that alone."

" 'twas nothing I haven't dealt with before. Lady Nerr, you're bleeding."

"Huh?" She looked down to see blood coursing down her legs where, once again, those wretched metal stars had embedded themselves in her flesh. Her gloves had also been ripped to shreds, and her palms were bleeding quite profusely. "Gods, I didn't even notice."

"Yes, well, fighting for your life has a way of making everything else seem unimportant. Jakob! Bring that healing staff over here and make yourself useful, boy!" The butler trudged over, his once pristine uniform now stained a hideous shade of rusty red. He glared up at Gunther.

"I hope you don't expect me to heal you, because I'm not wasting a staff on someone with one foot already in the grave."

"Jakob!" Nerr could not hide her affronted tone. Yes, her retainers often needled at one another, but that was crossing a line. Jakob looked over at her as if just noticing her for the first time. His eyes widened comically and his jaw fell open.

"Lady Nerr! You're hurt! Oh gods, I'm so sorry, I didn't notice- oh, how could I leave you in this state? I am a failure as a butler!"

"It's fine, Jakob, really. Just a few scratches."

Certainly it was a bit more than scratches, but if one went by the way Jakob went on as he healed her, they would think she had been dismembered. Planting her sword in the hard soil, she sat on the steps leading up to the fortress. Jakob leaned against the stone wall, gazing back over the ravine.

"What do we do now, Lady Nerr?"

"Isn't it obvious? We go back to the capital and report this."

"What about Hans?" The revulsion and hatred Nerr felt at the mention of that... _man_ , if one could call him that, was unlike anything she'd known before.

"I don't know, and frankly, I don't care. I hope the Hoshidans got their pound of flesh from him and hurled him into the ravine. That... that _d_ _astard_! This is all his fault!"

"Don't fret, my lady." Gunther's voice was as calm as ever as he adjusted his spearhead. "What's done is done; there's no reason to dwell on it."

"How can you say that, Gunther?! We're at war now! True war, not just little skirmishes!"

"We're always at war. Sometimes there are just breaks in the fighting."

"How can you be so nonchalant about this, old man?" Jakob asked wit a touch of incredulity in his voice. "Are you honestly trying to tell me the thought of total war doesn't scare you?"

"War and I go way back." Was all he gave by way of response.

Nerr breathed deeply, letting her eyes fall closed for a moment. She wondered how late it was. It was so cloudy that she could not see the stars and moon the way she could back home. It felt late. They had started climbing sometime around dusk. She hoped Lilith was alright all by herself. They needed to go soon, but gods, it would probably take at least four more days before they got back to the capital. That would be more than a week, but once she explained what happened, Father would probably allow her leniency. She intoned to her retainers that they needed to go, the faster they could leave, the better.

Nerr lingered for a moment longer, opening and closing her hands. The flesh was healed, but they were still sore, and would be for quite some time. She was not looking forward to the trek back down the crag. Just as soon as she had gotten to her feet, the sound of fast approaching footsteps set her on edge. Dreading what she'd see, she turned towards the dark forest that bordered the fortress. Her worst fears were confirmed as three Hoshidans appeared from the shadows, weapons drawn. Two held swords, and another, a man with deep red hair, was apparently another shinobi.

"Son of a bitch..." he muttered, his voice low, but dripping with malice. " _You're_ the leader of these troops? Pfft; you're just a fucking kid..." Grabbing her sword, she raised it, fully intending to fight.

"Who are you..?" She whispered. Jakob and Gunther were already on the other side of the bridge; they probably hadn't even heard reinforcement coming, there was no way they could reach her in time. She was on her own now, well and truly. The shinobi pulled a dagger like the one the commander had used against her from a belt, twirling it between his fingers with such skill Nerr would've been impressed had she not been terrified.

"I am Saizou. And I am the one who will end your life."

Nerr took an attack stance, but in the time it took to blink, this Saizou was gone. She looked around frantically, trying to spot some movement in the shadows, but to no avail. She could hear hoof beats once more thundering towards her, but this time, it would be too late. The air behind her suddenly warmed, and she turned on her heel, coming face to face with the shinobi. From so close, she could see one of his eyes was badly scared, a milky film covering the iris. He could still see her perfectly fine with his other eye, unfortunately.

"...die!" He snarled at her. She could see the blade glinting in the lightning, it was coming down to fast, she couldn't stop it.. In the last seconds, she shut her eyes, not wanting to look this death in the face.

"I can't allow that!" She felt something collide with her, hard enough to knock her to the ground, and then the sound of metal clanging. Not feeling dead, Nerr opened her eyes, blinking in disbelief as Xander, sitting high upon his steed, filled up her range of vision. It was like a fairytale, a prince arriving just in the nick of time to save the princess (Nerr had never considered her brother to be the 'Prince Charming' type, though). The Hoshidan drew back, his expression unreadable due to the mask that covered the lower part of his face.

"Dammit... I guess this is the real commander..." Xander smiled down at her as she got back up, rushing over to his side to put as much distance between herself and the Hoshidans as possible.

"Looks like I got here just in time. Are you alright, Nerr?"

"I've been better..." she answered truthfully. "But... what are you doing here? How did you...?"

More hoof beats, along with the swish of beating wings, distracted her from her chain of thought. Her retainers had come back, but they were not alone. Camilla, Leo and Elise rode beside them. Leo pulled up on Nerr's other side, his destrier, Faust, rearing up slightly as he came to a stop.

"Heh. Your luck never runs out, does it, Nerr?"

"Are you alright, dearest? I've been worried sick..."

"Leave my sister alone, you jerk faces!" She breathed a sigh of relief, once again feeling at ease. At least she wasn't outnumbered anymore. But this was no time to get sentimental.

"Um... you know I really appreciate you guys being here and looking out for me, but maybe we should leave before even _more_ reinforcements show up?"

"Reinforcements?" Camilla scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief. "What do I care about reinforcements? You're hurt, Nerr; who did this to you?"

"It's not important..."

"It is to me. No one hurts my brothers and sisters and lives to tell the tale..."

"But Camilla-!"

"Don't worry, darling. Big sis will take care of this."

She drove Theodoros straight into the Hoshidans ranks with such speed, Saizou was barely able to throw himself out of the way in time. The other soldiers were not so lucky. The wyvern clamped it's iron-like jaws down on one of them, the screams of pain and fear ending abruptly as it bit hard, the Hoshidan's head exploding in a shower of gore. The other soldier tried to escape that grisly fate, running back into the woods as his comrade lay twitching in a pool of his own blood. Unfortunately for him, the wyvern was the least dangerous thing that had come after them. Camilla pulled a throwing ax from it's sheath near her saddle and took aim. You could hear the blade cut through the air... until it met it's mark, deep within the Hoshidan's spine. He fell down, dead before he hit the ground. Nerr recoiled in horror. The Camilla she knew was sweet and gentle and nurturing... nothing like this cold blooded killer who was smiling serenely as she rejoined the others.

"...who the hell is that, and what has she done with my sister...?" Elise giggled, as if that had been anything but a serious inquiry.

"Hee hee, I forgot. You haven't seen what sis is like on the battlefield, have you Nerr? Isn't she great?" Great at killing? Yes. The remaining Hoshidan cursed under his breath, still clutching his dagger, seemingly torn between staying and fleeing, pride and prudence. Nerr continued stepping away, until she felt something solid against against her back. Stifling a scream and hoping it was not more shinobi (they appeared from thin air!), she turned to see Caractacus looking down at her. Fleet footsteps from the other side of the fortress drew her attention back once more. How many Hoshidans were in this supposedly abandoned place? It did not seem to be reinforcements this time, thankfully, but rather a scout, a lone woman. Her weapon was drawn as well, but she did not rush at the Nohrians, coming to a halt at the red-haired man's side.

"Kagerou reporting. Saizou, what is our situation?" Her voice was quiet, but the wind had died down, if only slightly, and Nerr's hearing was said to be better than most. Saizou cursed under his breath, some strange word she'd never heard before. It must've been a Hoshidan word.

"I miscalculated the Nohrian's force. We're outnumbered. Tell me reinforcements are on their way..."

"They are. Ryouma-sama is leading them." The princess did not know who 'Ryoma Sama' was, but he must've been a Hoshidan general at the least, given the way Saizou chuckled.

"Then this battle is all but won."

"Xander!" She called out, feeling her nerves start to get the better of her. She did not want to fight anymore, not here, not when it was so unnecessary. "They have reinforcements coming!"

"What? Damn it all..."

"What should we do, Xander?" Unlike her, Leo's voice betrayed no emotion. She wondered how it was possible for her _younger_ brother to be so much calmer and more mature than she was.

"We did not come here to fight unnecessary battles. Nerr is safe, the forts have been surveyed. We pull back and report to Father." Xander turned his attention to her. "Nerr, you and your retainers take the lead. We'll follow shortly." She nodded mutely, feeling her heart pound. What if the reinforcements were already nearby, what if they were on them before they made it down the crag? Nerr stumbled a bit as she turned around, the sight of the fallen Hoshidans swimming before her. She was still light headed; it had to have something to do with those metal stars- she'd felt like that back at the castle to.

"You should ride with me, my lady. You're not stable on your feet." Gunther offered her a hand, and she took it without thinking, letting him pull her up into the saddle behind him. Digging his spurs into the courser's sides, they turned and took off at full gallop back across the ravine. Nerr shut her eyes tightly, gripping the knight so tightly around the middle it seemed a miracle that his armor wasn't crushed beneath her hands. The lightning sounded like it was getting close, but there was still no scent of rain. Only cold air and blood, on her clothes, on her hands, so much blood... She recalled where most of it came from, the archer she'd sliced from end to end, that seemed to be the easiest way to deal with the unarmored Hoshidans.

His face had frozen into a grimace of pain and shock, and then the light had gone out in his eyes. She had stepped over his corpse to get the the commander, as if he were nothing more than a piece of trash by the side of the road... Her head was pounding, and everything was spinning worse than ever... but as she opened her eyes a crack, she realized that was just the rotting bridge they were galloping over. It swayed violently, and it defied all reason that the ancient, splitting wood and fraying rope was holding under them. But it mattered not; Nerr could tolerate the rocking no more.

"Stop! Stop please! Let me off!" Pulling hard on the reins, Gunther brought his steed to a halt, and Nerr took the first opportunity to jump off, collapsing to her hands and knees and shaking violently.

"Are you alright, Lady Nerr?"

"No, I'm not alright! Gods, if I knew this was what he meant when he said 'survey a fort', I'd have just let Father execute me!"

"Surely it isn't that bad, my lady..."

"It's horrible! It's so much worse! And this is only my second mission!" She got to her feet, slightly unsteady. She glanced up at Gunther, concern over her sudden outburst plain on his face. A wretched thought came into her mind. "You've been doing this for, what, forty years? How do you do it? How do you survive it?!" He was quiet for a long moment, waiting for her breathing to calm down a bit.

"Active duty for twenty-five, reserve for five. I know it is hard, Lady Nerr, I know that all to well. Sudden skirmishes on the border, ambushes... the memories of those things still give me nightmares to this day." Nerr did not want to know that, she did not want to know that her unassailable protector was human. Sighing, she pressed on.

"But how does it not crush you? How do you make yourself keep going on? I've only just begun, and already I want to give up..." There was a distant look in Gunther's eyes as he spoke, as if he were not seeing her, but something far, far away.

"I keep going because I have to, my lady. It is my duty, it is what I do. Doubts are to be expected, but one day, you will find something to fight for, and then you too will realize that you have to."

Something to fight for? She was already fighting for something; her country, her family, her honor... what more could matter? Nerr was about to ask him what more _he_ fought for, but the sudden sound of footsteps in the distance made her heart jolt painfully. She looked around, unsheathing her sword just in case. There did not seem to be any Hoshidans about (though, not seeing shinobi apparently did not mean they weren't there...), but then again... neither did her siblings. Xander said they would follow, but they weren't there. And neither was Jakob, even though Nerr was certain he had followed her and Gunther closely.

"Gunther? Where's Jakob? He was right behind us..."

"And I'm sure he still is. I was going at a full gallop; it's unsurprising he was unable to keep up. Perhaps that was wrong of me, but I wanted to get you back on solid ground as quickly as possible." A slight smile managed to creep up on Nerr's face, despite her heavy thoughts and malaise.

"It is a bit mean, but I appreciate it. You're always so solicitous when it comes to me..."

"That's true, but I confess, I'm not that selfless. It's taking every ounce of self-control I possess to not go on without you."

"What!?"

"Forgive me, my lady, but you are not the only person who doesn't want to die on a rickety bridge. I understand that you're going through mental turmoil, but I desperately wish that could wait until we were on solid ground..." It struck Nerr painfully to realize that, yet again, she was being a horrible burden. Because of _her_ problems, because of _her_ discomfort, everything else in the world had to stop. Tightening her grip on her sword, she forced herself to start walking.

"You're absolutely right, Gunther. I'm sorry, I had no idea how selfish I was even being..."

"It's not... you weren't... It's fine, my lady, but please, do hurry up. I can't stand being on this god's forsaken bridge a moment longer..."

The edge of the ravine was in sight, the dark forest that lay below stretching on for miles. If there wasn't a high probability that she would die, Nerr would've run and launched herself off the edge, so as to not have to climb all the way back down. The thought of that steep climb seemed even more daunting the other way. Again, she heard footsteps, but this time, she was certain they were not coming from behind. A shadowy figure appeared from a thin copse of trees near the crag's edge, dashing towards them, the bridge swaying violently once more.

"Don't worry... you won't have to stand there much longer." A large bolt of lightning illuminated the sky, and in that second, she caught a glimpse of a shining ax head, coated in dried blood. An unpleasant, unwanted figure stopped before her and her companion, and Nerr felt anger start to overtake her previous fear and misery.

"You!" She growled, her sword hand twitching in anticipation. He was covered in long, deep gashes, and she was certain she saw the shaft of a few arrows lodged in his prominent muscles. "Why the hell aren't you dead?"

"Aw, you don't sound like you missed me much. Trust me, it takes more than a handful of nobodies to take me down, Hoshidan or otherwise." He stood in the middle of the bridge, blocking either of them from passing easily, but Nerr would have none of that. She approached him, drawing her blade back and fully intending to finish what the Hoshidans started. She'd already killed people who didn't deserve it today; at least she could make it up to them by ending the source of all the trouble.

"Stand down, Hans. And this time, I _will_ cut you down if you don't obey."

"Pffft, I'd like to see you try, _princess_." He charged at her, and she swung. But unlike the Hoshidans who went down in one blow, Hans was stronger, faster, _better_. The bright spurt of blood didn't even seem to faze him, and he returned her blow, swinging his ax. His arc was wide, and that was the only thing that prevented her head from flying off the way the Hoshidan's had. She pulled back, enough to avoid a fatal injury, not enough to avoid being struck. The blade hit her in the middle, sparks flying off as the metals collided. Much like with Xander's blows, it felt like there had been nothing protecting her, the metal caving in and sending the force of the strike through her. She was knocked to the ground, her sword skittering across the bridge and landing a few feet away. The breath had been knocked out of her, and her ears were ringing, which must've been why Gunther sounded so far away even though he was right beside her.

"Hans! You dastard, you _dare_ attack a royal?! What is the meaning of this?!"

"Well, what it means is you're a shitty retainer for letting it happen in the first place. So I guess _that_ means you've outlived your usefulness."

Just as he had charged at Nerr, so too did he run at her retainer, swinging his ax wildly in broad arcs. As a veteran knight, Gunther did not panic in the face of such an onslaught, but unfortunately, Caractacus did. It was hardly surprising, and the wretched brute used it to his advantage, swinging at the poor horse's legs rather than face it's rider in true combat. Blood splashed onto the bridge, the courser rearing up on it's hind legs, neighing loudly, it's eyes bulging in terror. Still Hans continued swinging, forcing both horse and rider further back. There was a loud cracking sound that made Nerr sick with fear. One of Caractacus' hind legs had gone through the rotting wooden planks. As the horse thrashed in fear, the surrounding wood began to crumble as well. The princess knew what was happening, she could see it in her mind already, but she could not bear to watch it play out in reality. She threw herself forward, perfectly aware that the entire bridge could give in at any moment, but not caring in the slightest. She wanted to grab the reins, but that would accomplish nothing, she was not that strong... Instead, she reached out, trying to take Gunther's hand; she could pull him back to safety at least, she was certain she could...

The wood beneath her feet shuddered, and with a horrible crack, the entire section of the bridge gave way. The scream felt as if it had physically been torn from her, "Gunther, _nooo!_ " Nerr could still hear the panicked whinnying, and a loud cry (that sounded terrified, but she could not bring herself to admit that) echoing in the ravine, but almost at once, the sounds were swallowed by silence. Her heart had stopped, she could not breathe, she could not think. Her body acted of it's own accord as she fell to her knees beside the gaping hole, paying no mind to the fact that the wood was still crumbling beneath her as she looked into the depths of the abyss. Certainly it could not be infinite, but it that moment, it seemed as much. All she could see was darkness, darkness stretching for an eternity, but still her eyes darted back and forth, as if she would be able to make out a shape, some sign of him, something that could give her hope that he wasn't _gone_ -

"Awww, did I knock your babysitter into the ditch?" Hans cooed from behind Nerr, smiling as he ran his thumb over the blade of his ax, making sure it was still sharp. "Don't worry, princess; I'm sure he'll be waiting for you at the bottom."

Tears stung Nerr's eyes, blurring her vision... It hurt, it hurt more than she could have ever prepared herself for, an actual physical pain... a burning, stabbing sensation running down her arm, her heart feeling as if someone had reached into her chest and was squeezing it until it exploded. Ganglari was only a foot away, and she grabbed it, not intending to die at the hands of this monster without a fight, but truly, her vision was blurring more and more. Everything had taken on a sickly, gray tone, and the edges had gone black, pulsing in time with her erratic heartbeat. The girl forced herself to her feet, staggering and gasping for air that would not come. The hand in her chest was tightening it's grip, and her arm felt as if someone were tearing it off.

She wanted to swing her sword at Hans, but she could not force her other arm to obey, her fingers locked on the hilt as her entire left side burned. Nerr cried out in agony as every joint in her left arm seemed to wretch itself loose from it's socket, pulling more and more until she was certain it was going to rip off. It felt as if her bones were being shattered and reformed, her skin cut off in long ribbons and rewound. The pain was too much, and the screaming grew louder until it sounded distorted. In that moment, everything went black, and she was certain she'd passed out, but only seconds later, she awoke. Only... she was not herself. There was no fear, no doubt, nothing that had bothered her so much minutes earlier. The only thing left within the depths of her soul now was hate.

" _You killed Gunther_..." she seethed, accusing the man before her of the most unforgivable sin. He had not just killed her retainer, her oldest and most trusted companion... he had killed her happiness, and light and hope... and apparently, her mercy. " _I'll kill you!_ "

"Wh-what kind of freak are you?!"

Nerr let her actions answer that question. She ran at Hans, unconcerned for her safety or the consequences of attacking her father's person guard, or anything but making him suffer. He tried to defend himself against her vicious swings, but Ganglari's blade cut through the wooden handle of his ax with ease. The blood spraying over her did not bother the princess this time. Rather, she reveled in it, taking it as proof that the wicked monster who destroyed her happiness was suffering. But even that was not enough. The pain in her arm had subsided enough that it no longer distracted her. In fact, it now felt as if she held a sword in her left hand as well, with as much ease and skill as she had with her right arm, even though such a thing was impossible. Where flesh and plate armor had once been, she now saw a horrifying lance, but rather than let fear consume her, she the voice in her head that said _I know what to do, trust me_ take over.

The lance she'd sprouted was more effective than anything she had ever seen during arms training. As Hans tried to scramble away, bleeding and terrified, it grew, like a plant in rapid time, stretching out until the razor sharp tip impaled itself into his muscular thigh. The bald man dropped to the bridge like a sack of bricks, trying in vain to stem the flow of blood from his leg. Just as quickly as it had grown, the spear receded back into her arm before morphing into something else. The closest metaphor Nerr could think for this new appendage was a cannon, something she had seen pictures of in her books, but never in person. The biggest difference was the head. In the pictures, cannons were small and with a hole for whatever it was shooting.

This one, this _thing,_ looked like a monstrous jaw composed of huge, interlocking teeth. It was awful, and she was beginning to think 'freak' was an apt word for her, but she didn't care She could be scared and disturbed later. At present, she wanted Hans dead, or at the very least, wishing he was. Once again, a sharp pain shot down her arm, but this was traveled quicker, down from her shoulder to her fingertips (or where they would've been if she'd had fingers). The jaw at her wrist opened wide, and what seemed to be a blast of water shot out, splashing across the man's face and chest.

She had no time to wonder what had just happened, for in less time than it took for everything to happen, her vision went back to normal, as did the feeling in her arm, no longer burning. Too furious to care what was going on, she turned her attention back to Hans, a grim delight in her chest as she watched him writhing on the rotting planks in agony, clutching his face, his cries of pain muffled by his hands. His pale skin was now an angry red, and Nerr could see steam rising from him in the cold air, only to be blown away by the wind. It was as if someone had thrown a bucket of boiling hot water at him. She only wished she could do that too. Taking a step forward, she put her foot on his throat, digging her heel into his windpipe.

" _Why?_ The Hoshidans, Gunther... why have you destroyed _everything_?!" He made an unintelligible choking sound, but that wasn't good enough for Nerr. She pressed down harder, wondering if she would feel a pop soon. "ANSWER ME!"

"I was... just... following orders..."

" _Who's_ orders?!"

"K-King Garon's...!" Hans went limp beneath her, and the princess felt her mind go blank. What? What kind of lies was he spouting, did he honestly expect her to believe her father ordered this? Her father... who assured her there would be no fighting, no Hoshidans... who sent her straight to the Hoshidan border... Consumed with uncertain thoughts once more, she didn't notice the brutish man open his eyes. He reached up and grabbed her ankle, pulling her down. The back of Nerr's head hit the rotting wood with a dull thump, and by the time she came back to her senses, Hans had gotten to his feet and was running back towards the edge of the crag.

"Coward! Get back here! Gods help me, I'll kill you!" He was too far for her threats to carry much impact, and soon, he disappeared over the side of the precipice. Gods, where were her siblings, where was Jakob? She was all alone, well and truly alone...

She closed her eyes as the tears came back once more, spilling down the sides of her face as she blinked. Lightning still streaked across the sky, but it seemed far away now, too far away from her to provide any light. This was the darkness she had dreamed of, bleak and hopeless and all-consuming, only it was not below her. It came from inside, from where her heart had once beat but now lay shriveled and dead. It would pull her in, and this time, she would not fight it. Why bother, when she was alone and could feel nothing, only sorrow and Ganglari's hilt in her hand. She tightened her fingers around it unconsciously.

Despite the fact that she had been holding it for quite some time, it still felt cold, her shredded glove offering no protection. Truly, it was too cold, colder than it ought to have been. Nerr tried to open her hand, but despite her greatest effort, her fingers were locked in place. Panicking a bit, she tried to pry them loose with her other hand, but they would not release. The sword's hilt was so cold, it felt as if it were burning. Once, long ago, she had been sparring with Flora. The maid's dagger, infused with ice magic, had pressed against her cheek, the cold steel feeling like a branding iron. It had frozen to her skin, and only came loose when it pulled some of her flesh off with it. That was exactly what it felt like was happening now, only it was not nearly that cold... Her fingers tightened once more, of their own accord, until her knuckles had begun turning white.

The sword's glowing aura intensified so suddenly it blinded her. Shutting her eyes against the blinding glare, she realized she was moving, as if someone had grabbed Ganglari's blade and was trying to pull it from her grasp. She would've welcomed the help had it not been so futile... and if she could see who was 'helping' her. There was no one there, there was no one anywhere, but still the blade pulled. Nerr tugged back, unsure of who or what she was fighting, but not caring either. Without warning, the sword jolted, the force of it knocking her back onto the bridge. It pulled her along the wooden surface, large splinters tearing at her clothes and digging into her flesh. She continued trying to prize her hand free, but there was no time, the invisible force was dragging her straight to the broken section of the bridge where Gunther had fallen through. Crying out in terror, she did anything she could to slow herself; clawing at the planks, trying to dig her toes in, but it didn't work nearly as well with shoes on... Her nails breaking off and the sudden snap she felt in her foot were barely noticeable through the fog of horror that consumed her. It only took seconds before she reached the gaping hole, but it seemed to drag on for a lifetime in her mind. Whatever force had been dragging her let go at once, but it was too late, her momentum sending her hurtling headfirst into the canyon with one last cry.

For the first few seconds as she fell, Nerr flailed about wildly, still trying to find someway of saving herself. Large stones jutted out at every angle, and she scrambled to grab hold of them, but they were too slick and she was falling too quickly. All she succeeded in doing was smashing her arms and legs against the rocks. As the futility of struggling finally sank in, she went still. She could not save herself; she could do nothing by herself. It was a pitiful way to die, but the truth was, she deserved a pitiful death. She wished she could have at least explained to Xander what had happened at the border, so that when war truly did break out, the blame and hatred would not be all on her. She would not be able to fight alongside her siblings, or defend her country... She would never know what "more" she could fight for, or what Gunther fought for... She remembered Hans' words, feeling as if she'd been punched from the inside as his mocking voice rang clear in her ears. _Don't worry, princess; I'm sure he'll be waiting for you at the bottom..._ The chasm could not be infinite, there had to be a bottom... and she'd find it soon enough, though she was certain she would not be able to say anything to her retainer then. Maybe she could see him in the afterlife and appologize- it was her fault he'd died on a bridge.

Unfamiliar words in a familiar tone echoed around her. Nerr had never heard such a language before, but at the same time, she had. It just took a moment to translate into the dialect she was familiar with in her mind.

"My kin, my gods, my blood... Dragons, grant me strength! Great Moreau, I beseech you!" Something swooped past her, catching her hard in the stomach before pulling her up. Winded and dizzy from the blood rushing to her head, It took Nerr a long while to realize she was no longer falling. In fact, she was quite still, laying on her stomach across something solid and warm. Hazarding a look down, she saw the darkness of the chasm, as well as the broken bridge. She was floating high above everything.

My lady, Nerr... The princess started, nearly falling back into the ravine. There had been a voice, but it felt more like a thought than anything she had heard. It came from _inside_ her head, how could it be anything but? Lady Nerr... Again, the thought of a voice, but this time, she was certain it was not one of her own thoughts. Her senses finally catching up to her, she remembered that tone, the same as the voice from the ravine. Nerr took a better look at what she was laying on. It was about the size of a small cat, but much sturdier, covered in fine, fish-like scales in a motley of red, blue and white. A long blue and red tail, also fish-like, swayed back and forth, as if the strange... creature? was swimming in midair. It was the oddest creature she'd ever seen, and the princess was tempted to throw herself from it lest it decide it was not friendsly, but that voice...

"Lilith? Is that you?"

Yes, milady, it is I.

"But... what- what _are_ you?!" A quiet sigh filled her mind.

I always knew this day would come. The truth is... I am not human.

"I can _see_ that! I have eyes! What _are_ you?!"

I am a dragon... An astral dragon Nerr's mind raced. Dragon? That wasn't right. She had seen pictures of dragons in her books and the tapestries within the citadel. Dragons were huge, with large wings and horns and claws... they did not look like baby cat-lizards. It was plain as day that whatever... _this_ was, it was not a dragon, but all the same it seemed a bit... familiar.

"I... I've seen you before. Like this..."

Yes. You saved my life once, years ago. I had been injured in this form, and hid myself in the citadel's stables... you found me there. I thought you would flee in terror or try to kill me, but you didn't. You fed me and comforted me and hid me from the other's eyes... Even though it was all in her mind, Nerr could hear the tears creeping into Lilith's voice.

"Anybody would've done that."

No. They wouldn't. I know that all to well. And that's why, when I recovered and could take my human form once more, I vowed to serve you for the rest of my life. But I'm afraid I can no longer serve you in that capacity.

"What do you mean?"

I've used the extent of my powers. This is the only form I have now. But that's fine; the only thing that matter to me is that you're safe.

A large bolt of lightning cracked right beside them, so close that Nerr could feel the heat of it coursing through her, making her hair stand on end. Lilith cried out- in her mind, at any rate- and suddenly dropped, nearly plummeting back into the ravine. It seemed to be taking all of her energy to stay afloat. Nerr realized that she was the problem; she was too heavy for the tiny creature to support. Just like always, someone had to come in and save her. She grit her teeth.

"Lilith, I'm too heavy! Let me go and save yourself! I'll be fine, just... tell my brothers and sisters that I love them..."

Don't worry, Lady Nerr. You can tell them yourself. Again, she spoke (thought-spoke?) in that strange dialect that gave the princess pause. First Dragons, I call on you. Let us return home! Home... Nerr's heart ached to go home, but truly, how much of a home could it be now? Such thoughts seemed unnecessary as Lilith pointed her nose down towards the ground, instinct alone keeping the girl on her back from sliding off and back into the ravine.

There was a flash of light at the end of the bridge, and as it faded, she could see arcane runes glowing on the ground. Lilith dove head first into the middle of the runes, paying no heed to Nerr's panicked cry. Gods, what horrid luck- she had avoided one death only to fall victim to another. She closed her eyes, waiting for the impact... but it did not come. It seemed like once again, they were simply floating. Lilith bucked a bit, sending Nerr off her back. But there was no infinite darkness for her to fall into this time. Instead, she landed (rather hard) on her backside on what felt like a stone floor. Opening her eyes, she felt as if the breath had been squeezed from her. She was no longer at the Infinite Chasm... but she certainly wasn't home, either.

All around her lay a familiar scene of twisted trees and tall mountains, but the sky was much too bright for what she was used to in Nohr. The clouds were puffy and white, and Nerr actually had to bring a hand up to shield her eyes from the harsh light.

"Gods above..." she whispered. "What is this place?"

This, Lady Nerr, is what's known as an astral realm. Planes parallel to the world you live in, that were once where the ancient dragons dwelt.

"Ancient dragons? You mean the First Dragons, the gods?"

Yes, and these lands are protected by those same gods, so you will be safe here.

The lands of the gods... it was all too much for Nerr to take in, much less believe, but even so, she could feel power radiating through the ground beneath her, the same that she felt with the Dragon Veins. With solid ground beneath her once more, her breathing began to calm, but with fear no longer serving as a distraction, the pain of her broken, battered body hit her full force. The hilt of her sword no longer burned her skin, and she found she could now pry her fingers loose, though with some difficulty, given that they had cramped in place. She was covered in bloody scrapes and riddled with splinters, her fingers torn, several nails ripped clean off. A burning, throbbing pain shot up her leg, and all the while, the blinding light overwhelmed her senses. She swooned, reaching out towards Lilith without thinking, forgetting that her equerry no longer had hands. Her fingers grabbed at the air, and she collapsed back onto the hard ground, her eyes rolling into the back of her head as everything around her went black.

000

Nerr could not tell how much time had passed since she'd closed her eyes. She was exhausted, physically and mentally, though that was hardly a new sensation. The surface she lay on was still harder than the featherbed she was used to, but softer than bare ground. Blinking slowly, she opened her eyes, surprised to see that it was darker. She was looking at something like a stone ceiling, but not the cut stone of the citadel. This was rough and jagged, like the walls of the Infinite Chasm. It seemed that she was laying in some sort of cave, brilliant sunlight streaming in from an opening a few feet away from her. A small fire burned off to her side, and as she rolled over with more difficulty than she felt it should've taken, she noticed the ground beneath her was green and spongy. It must've been moss, she thought, having seen the same green carpeting rocks and trees as she journeyed to the border.

I'm glad to see you're awake now, Lady Nerr. The princess jumped a bit, wincing as pain shot through her body, before remembering the source of the voice in her head. Lilith hovered on the other side of the fire, her scales shimmering in the warm light. For the first time, Nerr noticed an opalescent orb clutched between the dragon's... feet? Hands? It glowed ever so slightly, and she wondered if orb held Lilith aloft, or if she just carried it as she floated on her own.

You gave me quite a scare, passing out like that. I had to make a place for you to rest.

"Make?"

Yes. I was afraid to move you- I didn't know how injured you were- so I made this shelter where you lay. Sensing the other girl's confusion, Lilith floated over to settle beside her. This realm is the dragon's natural home. The power humans call 'Dragon Veins' is simply the realm's life force. It flows through every rock and blade of grass. They're much more powerful than the ones you use in your realm. Nerr frowned a bit, laying back down. Thoughts collided in her head, and it took some doing to untangle them.

"You said this is the home of dragons, but it seems deserted. Aren't there others like you? Where is everyone?" The dragon remained quiet for a long time, and when she spoke her voice in the princess's mind was quiet.

No. There is no one else like me. And there is no one else in this realm. Once, it was full of life, but now... I'm the only one left. Despite her own misery, Nerr felt her heart go out to Lilith. She remembered how, one day, the girl (she had been a human, then) had appeared at the citadel, looking for work. She had pleaded to stay, insisting she did not even need to be paid a wage, and was happy just working for room and board. When they questioned her, she said that she no longer had a place to live, no family or friends, nothing. Looking back on it, Nerr wondered if this was what she had been talking about even then.

"I'm sorry, Lilith..." she said quietly. "I didn't mean to bring up something painful." The dragon turned to her. It was hard discerning any sort of emotion of what could only be described as an animalistic face, but within the depths of her large, golden eyes, it seemed that she was happy.

Don't be. I may have been alone before, but not anymore. As long as I can be near you, I'm perfectly happy. Nerr wanted to protest, to say that that wasn't enough, what good was she when the poor beast had nothing else, but she held her tongue. She had felt like that herself, safe and content and blissful in the presence of a single person. Regardless of whatever terrible things might await her in the future, she was certain that she could overcome them and be happy so long as he was there... All at once, tears sprang into her eyes and just as quickly, a choked sob tore itself form her throat. She needed to be strong, she needed to be a proper princess of Nohr, who held her head high and did not suffer from 'an excess of emotion', as Xander called it.

The people expected them to be calm and level-headed at all times, and it was required on the battlefield. Ever since she had reached maturity, her eldest sibling had taught her how to behave in a manner befitting royalty, and on the subject of emotion, of anger and sorrow, he always gave the same advice- 'Conceal it, don't feel it. Don't let it show'. But how could she not let it show, how could she feel anything but the painful void borne of loneliness and fear and uncertainty within her. It was a shameful thing, she thought, to be reduced to a blubbering mess in front of one of her servants, but she could not care. Lilith's voice in her head was barely audible over her own sobs.

Please don't cry, Lady Nerr. Everything will be alright.

"No, it won't!" She whimpered in between her tears. "Gunther... it's my fault he's dead. If I hadn't been such a weak coward, we'd have been off that bridge and I would've seen Hans coming... Oh gods, it's all my fault. I wish I were dead!" She threw her arms over her eyes, as if to block out the world of the living, but it was no good.

Lady Nerr... She felt something brush against her cheek. It was surprisingly soft, like the feathers that sometimes trimmed her gowns. Cracking an eye open, she realized Lilith was stroking her cheek with her long tail, in lieu of the hands she no longer had. _Please_ don't cry, Lady Nerr. What happened is not your fault. You know Sir Gunther would never blame you.

"He wouldn't blame me if I drove a knife in his chest! _I_ blame _myself_ , and that's all that matters!"

...he wouldn't want you wasting tears over this. He'd want you to pick yourself back up and keep moving forward, like a strong warrior-

"I! Don't! Care! Don't you understand that?! What does it matter to me what a _corpse_ wants?! He's not here to care any more, so why should I?!"

Nerr rolled onto her stomach, not caring how much pain she was in, and buried her face in her arms, crying hysterically. She felt like a child throwing a tantrum, but just as she had snapped at Lilith, she did not care. She was exhausted and miserable. Like cutting open a vein, once her sorrow and vexations started flowing, it had been impossible to stem, and so she let it flow, pouring out of her like blood until there were no more tears left within her. Feeling sick and terribly guilty, she closed her eyes, falling into a restless sleep. Once again, she could not tell how much time had passed when she opened her eyes, but all things considered, it felt like too much.

Cried out and already working to bury this new unhappiness away with all her others, a thousand more concerns began chasing themselves in her mind. She never did find out what happened to her siblings. Or Jakob. While the princess was fairly certain Hans would not be a great threat to them in the state she left him, there were still the Hoshidans to contend with. There had been reinforcements coming; what if they outnumbered her family? Or even if they didn't, even if everyone had gotten back down the crag safely, there was still the issue that they did not know what happened to her. She could just imagine her brothers and sisters crossing the bridge, seeing the blood and broken planks and assuming that she had fallen to her death. If she were dead, that would not bother her so much, but the fact was that she was alive. And what's more, she did not want anyone thinking that she (or Gunther) simply _fell_ in.

She wanted everyone to know that everything that transpired on the bridge was Hans' doing. She wanted him to pay for what he had done, and she would not be satisfied with anything less than the pound of flesh she was owed. After she'd had her vengeance, then... then she would figure out what to do. Continue fighting for Nohr, take her newfound freedom and run somewhere far away... Or perhaps do nothing at all, just lay down in some dark corner and wait for death. But that was all well in the future. For now, she had to get back to her realm. After flexing her toes for a moment (the pain was mostly a phantom, but the toes on her left foot still felt stiff), she got to her feet, taking stock of her appearance. Her clothes were filthy (and her shoes missing, probably laying at the bottom of the Chasm), covered in dried blood and dirt and torn to shreds, as was her skin, though the largest wounds had closed up, leaving only mottled bruises in their place.

It looks like you're feeling better. She did not jump this time, though her heart did skip a few beats. Feeling very awkward, Nerr cleared her throat slightly.

"Yes. I must have been asleep for days, the way my wounds have healed."

Oh, about a day or so in this realm. In yours, I'd say it's probably been less than an hour. Time flows at a different rate here than the human realm. That's why it's warned that humans shouldn't stay here very long.

"That's just as well. I should go. I need to make sure my brothers and sisters are okay."

I understand. Lilith sounded as genial as she always did, which only added to Nerr's guilt. Her fists clenched as she shifted uncomfortably.

"Lilith... I am so sorry for the way I behaved earlier. I was cold and cruel to you when you were only trying to console me. I am... a horrid person, and if you never forgive me, I would understand perfectly."

Lady Nerr... A bright laugh rang out in her mind, throwing her for a loop.

"Why are you laughing? I'm being sincere!"

I know! That's why I'm laughing. Lady Nerr, you exaggerate too much. If anyone else heard you, they'd think you whipped me for breathing in your direction. The dragon's voice became much more solemn. Your outburst was not born of malice or cruelty... You have just lost someone dear to you. There is no one in this world who would fault you for your pain. I know you weren't trying to be mean, so if yelling at me made you feel even a tiny bit better, then I'm fine.

"Lilith... you are much too forgiving, but I thank you nonetheless. That guilt had been eating away at me."

Well, now you can put it behind you. I know you wish to get back to your world, so I will open a portal, but let me warn you; I can only return you to the place you came from, so you will go back to the Infinite Chasm. There may be Hoshidan troops still lurking around the border.

Nerr breathed deeply. The chance of being drawn into another battle daunted her much less than the thought of going back to the Chasm, but she had no choice. She could not stay in this empty realm for the rest of her days, not while her siblings wondered after her and Hans continued to draw breath. She nodded, more to steel her nerves than anything, and stooped down to grab her sword, sheathing it.

"I understand. But I have no choice; running into hostiles is a risk I'll have to take."

Alright then, I'll open the gate. But Lady Nerr? Please be careful.

"I will, Lilith. I don't intend to die yet." A bright light appeared at Nerr's feet, and she covered her eyes against it. It took a while for anything to come into focus, but once the world returned to it's normal colors, she realized she was standing at the base of the drawbridge, where the skirmish against the Hoshidans had taken place. She could see the fort just across the ravine.

Blood had soaked into the ground she stood one, but there were no bodies in sight. The Hoshidan reinforcements must've taken them away. There were no enemies in sight, but her siblings were nowhere to be seen, either. They must've already gone down the slope. The thought of having to cross that damn bridge all over again made Nerr's heart pound against her ribcage as if it were trying to flee. Behind her, a twig snapped, and she turned on her heel, sword raised against whatever threat it could've been. There was nothing there, and though she lowered her blade, eyes scanning the bleak landscape fervently, her ears were perked. Again a sound, rustling this time, footsteps in the grass. She looked back and forth, desperate to discover their source, but it seemed to be coming from all around her. Suddenly, a voice, loud and scathing, came from right behind her.

"Die, Nohrian!"

She wanted to turn around, to confront this enemy, but before she could so much as move, something heavy struck the back of her head, sending her face down in the bloody dirt. Black spots spread across her swimming vision, and she was certain something hot and wet was running down her neck, but she could think no more. Darkness consumed her yet again.

000

A/N- Wow, that just took forever, didn't it? If you've read this far, then you deserve a pat on the back.


	5. Hoshidan Strangers

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Ch. 5 -"Hoshidan Strangers"

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For ages, Nerr had been drifting in and out of consciousness, not a true, waking consciousness, rather a place closer to dreaming. Sometimes, she thought she caught snatches of conversation, or felt someone moving her, but then the darkness came back in full force. Her mind woke suddenly, after a spell, but it took a long time for her body to catch up. She could not open her eyes, the pain was too great for that. The back of her head was sore, and she felt that if she moved even a muscle, she would vomit. So she simply lay wherever she was (on some hard pallet, by the feel of it), and let her senses take over. The smell was the first thing she noticed, smoke and mildew and cold wind, all laying beneath the overwhelming scent of cooking meat and vegetables. The Nohrian girl knew that's what it was, but even so, it didn't smell like any meat and vegetables she'd ever eaten. Smoke wafted over her, the acrid smell burning her nose.

Little by little, she grew aware of the ambient noise of her location. For a long time, everything was strangely muted, as if she lay underwater, listening to what went on around her. Eventually, she could in fact hear the cold air she'd smelled earlier, whistling as it came through cracks (she was all too familiar with that particular sound in the winter). There was a fire crackling, and faintly she could even hear water boiling. All in all, it reminded her painfully of winters in the Northern Citadel. Her room was the highest in the Donjon, and as such, often proved to be the coldest. One paltry fire could not heat a room so large, so when the weather was so harsh that she continued shivering under five or six heavy comforters, she would take her bedding and head down to the kitchens. More than once her servants found her sleeping there, cocooned in blankets by the hearth, and rather than wake her, they went about their business of cooking while she dozed. Wherever she was now, it was not nearly as comfortable as the kitchens. The fire was too far away to ward off the chill in the room, and though she felt something covering her, it was not very thick or warm.

Slowly, the feeling began retuning to her limbs, and she flexed her fingers slowly, trying not to move too much and exacerbate her growing migraine. More than ever, she wished she were back home at the citadel, laying in her soft bed, with a cup of willow bark tea to ease her aches and pains. But the more time that passed, the more she became aware that it was unlikely she'd ever go home again. She didn't even know where she was. Still reluctant to fully wake but being driven nearly mad by the uncertainty, Nerr opened her eyes as slightly as she could, trying to gauge where she was. All she could make out like that was the glow of a fire and a vague shape next to it. If someone was there, they probably already knew she was there too, so she threw caution to the wind and opened her eyes completely.

The room she was in was made of wood, weathered and black with age and smoke. It was even more spartan than her room, the only thing of interest being the pit in the middle where the fire burned. A shallow cauldron hung over the fire, suspended with a chain, the strange-yet-mouthwatering aroma coming from that. A lone figure sat on the floor beside the fire, poking at the logs with a metal pole. There was something uncomfortably familiar about that person, with dark skin and white hair... Nerr's heart stopped as she recognized the Hoshidan prisoner she had nearly died to set free.

"You..." Her voice came out as a broken whisper. It felt as if her mouth had been stuffed with wool while she slept. Rinkah looked up, not even remotely surprised, and smirked a bit.

"I see you're awake. Sorry about that bump on you head." _Bump_? Falling down a flight of stairs was a _bump;_ that blow could've crushed her skull. The princess's crimson eyes narrowed as she realize what had happened.

"You... _you_ did that... I saved your life, and that's how I am to be repaid?" To her credit, the Hoshidan woman at least looked uncomfortable, directing her attention back to the popping logs.

"If I had known it was you, I wouldn't have done it. I mean, when you see Nohrian soldiers poking around the border, you don't expect them to be _royalty_." Her response irritated Nerr. So it was considered acceptable to blitz Nohrians, no questions asked, as long as they weren't _royalty_? Nohrians would never stoop to such cowardly, underhanded means. She bit back that thought, too light-headed to put it into words.

"Where am I?"

"This is one of the Flame Tribe's settlements, in the north of Hoshido." _Hoshido_!? The princess pushed herself into a sitting position, regretting it instantly as the world began spinning around her and bile rose in her throat. Groaning, she slumped forward. There was a shuffling sound and an exceedingly warm hand grabbed her arm.

"Hey. You okay? You probably shouldn't be moving yet."

"What do you mean, in Hoshido? You took me across the border?"

"Yeah."

" _Why_?"

"Because I've given you over to the custody of the Empire of Hoshido." Nerr's mind went blank. If she was in the empire's custody, then she would be brought before the sovereign. She knew what happened in Nohr when spies were caught and taken to the castle. If Father was in a good mood, they would be executed at once. If not, they would be tortured until they died... and he was rarely, if ever, in a good mood. She lay back down on the pallet, in a daze.

"I let you go free... and you send me to be executed..." Xander's words rang out in her mind. _As the gods are my witness, Nerr, your soft heart will be the death of you one day,_ That day came much quicker than she expected. Looking down at her for a while, Rinkah smirked again before heading back to the fire.

"I don't think execution is what they have in store for you..." Great. So she would be tortured instead. Nerr closed her eyes once more, intending to rest until the soldiers came for her, but no sooner than she had begun drifting off did a muffled knock rouse her.

"Gods, already? I'm still tired..."

"Heh. You're pretty calm for someone who thinks they're about to die... Come on, get up. Your escort is here."

It had taken Nerr some time to get outside. Her head throbbed and she was so unsteady on her feet, she had nearly fallen into the fire when she first stood. Surprisingly, Ganglari was still tied to her sword belt, though given her current state, she couldn't have wielded it if she wanted to. Outside the cabin, everything was white, the ground, the mountains and houses, even the sky was such a pale shade of gray that it appeared white as well. The princess was used to snow- it snowed long and hard in the winter months, leaving the trail leading to the citadel impassable for weeks. But even in the midst of blizzards, it was never this blindingly _white._ She could barely see where she was going.

The fresh snow crunched under her bare feet, and already they had begun stinging from the cold. She missed her shoes... As the wind blew, she became more aware than ever just how ragged her clothing had become. Truly, her armor seemed to be the only protection she had from the cold, and the metal itself was growing cold as well, stinging her skin through her hacketon and tights, neither garment without rips or holes. Shivers began in her arms and legs, and she glanced at Rinkah, utterly bemused. The other woman wore even less than she did, baggy white trousers, red leather vambraces, and strange leather slippers that curled up at the toe. Her breasts were concealed under white strips of cloth wrapped around her, leaving her arms and stomach bare, and yet, she didn't seem to even notice the cold.

Rinkah led her away from the houses where other people (just as under dressed as her) had come outside to see what was happening. At what Nerr assumed was the outskirt of the village, a man in a deep green cloak stood, a purple scarf concealing half his face. As she drew nearer, she noticed that his hair was also green, a familiar shade... Her eyes narrowed. How could this have even come as a shock, that the person who would take her to meet her maker was the same shinobi who's life she had also spared?

"We meet again." Her voice was as cold as the ground she walked on. "Suzukaze, yes?" Despite her tone, the man pulled down his scarf and smiled at her, not in the smug way Rinkah did. His almost looked... sincere.

"Yes, though I'm surprised you remember my name. I'm glad to see you're unharmed, Princess Nerr." The sore spot on the back of her head, and her still spinning vision contradicted his notion that she was 'unharmed', but she remained silent. Much to her surprise, Suzukaze dropped down to one knee in the snow, his head bowed. "I shall escort you to Shirasagi, where the royal family is. They are waiting for you." Yes, she assumed they were. There would have to be a scapegoat for the deaths of their soldiers, and though she did not provoke the attack, there was blood on her hands all the same.

000

It had taken three days to get from the north of Hoshido to it's coast, where the capital and castle were. They made surprisingly good time, given that Nerr was still unstable on her feet and often stumbled. Her hands and feet felt frostbitten, and many times she felt as if she would simply keel over, but by some miracle, she continued. More than once, Suzukaze offered her his cloak against the cold, but she always refused. Kindness would have been _not_ taking her to be executed when they realized who she was.

But it seemed that was just the way Hoshidans were. And as they journeyed through the countryside, Nerr wondered if she could blame them. The weather grew more and more mild as they traveled southward, but apart from that, it was utter hell. The sun in the sky was blinding, the bright white clouds only intensifying the harsh light. Even at night (not that she would call it night), it was still bright out. Not the bright sun of noon, but light enough to read by. For three days, she had not slept, unable to when her eyes told her it was the middle of the day in the height of summer. It was no wonder the Hoshidans were savages; how could anyone be civilized in a country that allowed them no sleep?

When they finally arrived at the castle, Nerr felt her lips twist in disgust. Not because she was now utterly at the mercy of the enemy (she had resigned herself to that), but because their castle was so _hideous_. It was hard to say it even looked like a castle. It's highest levels reached into the clouds, but it looked so tacky, so _cheap_. All wood and plaster. Could they not afford proper stone in Hoshido? The roofs were the worst part, the same green that patinised bronze, the corners all curled up, like a jester's shoes. All that was missing, she thought, were little bells hanging off them. Strange trees with pink leaves framed the door, the only attractive thing she had seen in this country.

Her escorts (Rinkah had deigned to join them, probably eager to see her execution first hand) led her into the depth of the castle. Soldiers were posted all around, easy targets with their barely-there armor. They ogled her as she passed, eyes narrowing, sometimes chuckling under their breath or whispering vulgar things. She did not pay them any mind. She walked with her shoulders back and head held high, just as a princess ought to. Unbidden, the thought of her favorite story, _The Prideful Princess_ , came to mind. She had left the book back at the border, along with everything else she'd brought with her, but it didn't matter. She knew the story by heart- it had been her standard bedtime story since Gunther first became her retainer. She almost faltered as she thought of him, but focused her thoughts on the story.

Towards the end, the princess (who in truth was her servant in disguise) was to be executed. As she was led to the gallows, the commoners had jeered and booed, screaming hateful things at her. The princess, of course, paid them no mind, their words falling on deaf ears, and her final words being the only thing anyone remembered about that day. That was exactly how Nerr felt now. Nothing anyone said now could faze her. She was fully prepared for death, and she would die well, with the pride and courage her royal blood instilled in her. In her mind, the princess began singing a familiar tune, one she often hummed when she was unhappy. _'If the whole world should hate you, then let me shield your eyes. For as long as I live, I'll be evil by your side...'_

So immersed in her own thoughts, Nerr barely noticed the large throne at the back of the chamber they had just entered. It was just as hideous and garish as everything else in Hoshido, and she found herself entirely unimpressed. The one thing that _did_ capture her attention was the man standing at the foot of the throne. He wore all white, his armor a deep shade of crimson, and had a long, wild made of hair that nearly reached his waist. She _knew_ him. It was the same Hoshidan general from her nightmare, the one who stood over her as she sank into the darkness, his strange mask giving him the air of a demon.

 _Come home to Hoshido, Ner_ _r_ _ida!,_ he had yelled down at her. But he was only supposed to be a spectre, some monster lurking in the shadows who did not really exist. How could he be standing before her now? Suzukaze approached him and knelt before him just as he had done to Nerr earlier. The general smiled down at the shinobi.

"Welcome back, Kaze-san. You've done well."

"Of course, Ryouma-sama." So _this_ was the Ryoma Sama that the Hoshidans at the border had spoken of? Maybe it made sense, then. Perhaps he was some great Hoshidan general, and she had seen a picture of him in one of her books. That was a less terrifying scenario than her nightmares coming to life.

"Ryoma Sama." She muttered under her breath, trying to figure out if the same sounded familiar. "So this is Hoshido's general?" Rinkah side eyed her, laughing humorlessly.

"Are you serious? This is Prince Ryouma-sama, the high prince of Hoshido." Royalty, then. She assumed he would be on par with Xander in terms of rank. Of course, a Hoshidan prince could not hold a candle to the crown prince of Nohr.

The prince, Lord Ryoma Sama or whatever his name was, turned his attention to her. She shuddered slightly under his gaze, not because it was intimidating (it wasn't) or cold (it was very much so), but because it was the same stare from her dream. It was uncanny. For the longest time, he looked at her, not just her face, but the entirety of her, taking in her frostbitten toes and torn clothes and dented armor. She was sure she did not look like a princess to him, but he did not seem a prince to her. He was simply a high ranking Hoshidan savage as far as she was concerned, and his stare was becoming increasingly rude. Feeling annoyance build up inside her and grow into anger, she spoke up.

"I'll thank you to mind your eyes, Hoshidan. I am not an animal in a cage to be ogled at; I am a princess of Nohr. If you're going to execute me, then do it or else, let me go."

The prince frowned deeply at her words, but said nothing. His silence was beginning to irritate her, and she opened her mouth once more, but the sound of quiet footsteps from the hall to her left gave her pause. Perhaps it was the executioner. Suzukaze got to his feet and turned in the direction of the steps, as did Rinkah. The prince gave her one last once-over before directing his attention to the approaching person as well. Nerr steeled herself for whatever was in store for her. She would not cower in the face of death. As far as she was concerned, she was already dead inside. For as long as she lived, she would not have been able to predict what would have happened next.

Long white robes and long black hair. That was the first thing Nerr noticed about the person who walked into the throne room, her hands clasped in front of her. And it was a 'her'- she had expected the executioner to be a man, but as she remembered Camilla's viciousness on the battlefield, she realized that women too could be cold-blooded killers. And just as with her sister, appearances were quite deceiving. The woman who stood before her did not look capable of scaring a fly off a strudel. She smiled gently, indeed the same kind of smile Camilla often gave Nerr. With a bit of surprise, she noticed that the Hoshidan had the same mole that she did, on the left corner of her mouth. What a funny coincidence, that the person who would kill her shared the same birthmark as her. Just as the prince had, this woman looked her up and down, though her gaze was not nearly as hard.

"I cannot believe it is really you..." she said quietly, her voice sounding as if it belonged to someone much older than her. "You've come home... You really have returned..." Home? Was this some kind of Hoshidan mind game? It had to be, for the woman stepped closer to her, reaching out to brush her hand over Nerr's cheek. "Oh, dear gods, how I've missed you...! My dear Nerrida... My beloved daughter...!"

Before the Nohrian girl could even comprehend what had just been said, the Hoshidan woman threw her arms around her, pulling her into a tight hug. All at once, her mind caught up to what was going on, shock battling outrage. The outrage won, and she began struggling in the other woman's grasp.

"Unhand me, Hoshidan! How dare you!?" Finally getting her arms loose, she pushed the woman away, backing up herself. The guards stationed around the chamber drew their swords in unison, rushing at her. She would've been made into a pin cushion had the woman not held up a hand, halting them. "Is this what you do in Hoshido? Welcome people as family before you kill them? I will have none of it- just kill me now and be done with it!"

The woman, whoever she was, looked hurt as she stared at Nerr, shaking her head slightly in disbelief.

"Are you serious? Do you truly have no idea what's going on?"

"Of course I do. I'm no fool. You want vengeance for the fighting that took place at the border. I did not instigate that attack, but I do not deny my part in it, so I will not attempt to escape my fate. My only regret is that the monster behind this may escape his..." The woman stared at her in silence for a long minute, before turning to the prince.

"What is she talking about?"

"I think she's one of the Nohrians that Saizou reported being at the Infinite Chasm the day of the ambush."

"Gods..."

"Yes, that's all true." Nerr spoke up, not at all pleased at having to stand by and listen to a recap of that horrible day. "I admit it. So hurry up, get your justice." Once again, the woman turned her attention to Nerr, stepping closer, but wisely keeping a respectful distance.

"Oh, my poor child. That's not why you were brought here."

"No? Then pray tell why _was_ I kidnapped and taken across the border?" The woman flinched at her words, as if she had been physically struck, but she quickly composed herself.

"Nerrida... you are a princess of Hoshido. We did not kidnap you- the Nohrians did. They stole you from us when you were a child. I am your mother, Mikoto. For so long, I didn't know if you were alive or dead... I had almost given up hope...!" Nerr gaped at her. It was unbelievable. If Rinkah was to be believed, she had a reputation for being 'naive', but did they honestly think she was stupid?

"Do you truly think I believe that? What kind of fool do you take me for? _You're_ my mother? Ha! Next you're going to tell me that I have a palace on the moon!" For the first time, the prince spoke to her.

"Tell me, then; what's your _real_ mother's name?" That threw her for a loop. The truth was, she did not know her mother. It was not a surprise- all of her siblings barring Xander had been born of King Garon's many concubines. She just assumed her mother was one of those faceless women who vied for the king's favor. She quickly recomposed herself.

"It matters not. My _real_ mother is not Hoshidan. My father would never bed one of your savages." And again, the guards had drawn their swords, again being stopped from slicing her to ribbons by this Mikoto.

"Your 'father'. King Garon." The prince spoke slowly. "From what I hear, you _father_ beds anything with a pulse and most things without."

"How dare you speak about my father like that?!"

"Because that _man_ is not your father!" His voice rose and echoed loudly throughout the hall. "Your father is Emperor Sumeragi of Hoshido. ...and I am your older brother." Nerr shook her head, backing away from the Hoshidans. If this was their method of torture, it... was working. She was growing exhausted under their constant bombardment of lies.

"You can spout whatever lies you want, Prince Ryoma Sama. I know the truth. As if I could be related to you- you can't even compare to Xander." The prince's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Xander? That's one of the Nohrian royals, is it not? Tch. Those inbred animals are your captors, not your family."

"Shut up!"

"No!" He stalked towards her with quick, powerful steps. Nerr actually shrank back as he approached her. With his red armor and horned mask, it was like confronting the devil. "No, I speak the truth and you're going to listen to me, dammit. I was there when you were taken, I saw _everything_. There was tension between Hoshido and Nohr back then, but no war. No, the war started when King Garon- your so called _father_ \- lured Emperor Sumeragi to Chevalier under the guise of negotiating peace talks. That's why he brought us, you and I, as a sign of goodwill. No soldiers, no escape plans, because he wanted peace to exist between the nations. That... _bastard_ ambushed us on our way back! He murdered our father in cold blood. And then, to add insult to injury, he took you. Like a _trophy_."

One the one hand, everything he was saying was lies, obviously. But on the other... That was not the kind of thing she would put past her father. The murdering in cold blood part, not the kidnapping her part. She shook her head again, her long hair swinging back and forth. Her side-tied tail was beginning to come loose, but fortunately, her precious hairpin was still in place.

"Lies, Hoshidan. Lies."

"Do you really not remember any of this? Not a thing?" It was her turn to glare at him.

"You're asking me if I remember anything from when I was a young child, according to your time line? I'm sure those memories are buried in my mind, along with nursing and having my diapers changed. You damn fool... If this is how you torture people, your technique leaves much to be desired." Mikoto reached out, placing a hand on Nerr's shoulder that she quickly shrugged off.

"This is not a trick, Nerrida. We speak the truth. But... if you don't remember, then don't push yourself."

"Trust me, I wasn't going to."

"Well, we just have to keep reminding you. Something will lock in place." She was just about to tell him no, it wouldn't, when one of the Hoshidan soldiers ran into the throne room, taking a knee before Ryouma.

"Ryouma-sama! We're under attack from the north!" The prince's face paled visibly. It was a shock to see him looking something other than angry.

"What?! But... Sakura and Hinoka are there!"

"Yes, sire! They're evacuating the villages as we speak!"

"...I will head out immediately."

He turned to Nerr, frowning once again. That ever present frown almost reminded her of Xander, but not enough. After all, Xander's lips just turned down naturally, like Father's and Gunther's (even Leo had inherited that particular trait). That was just how he looked when he wasn't feeling much of anything. On this Hoshidan, it looked like he was always angry. She didn't know what he had to be angry about- _she_ was the one who should be angry.

"Nerrida, you're coming with me."

"Like hell I am!"

"I don't care if you say you don't remember who you are- I know those memories are in that thick skull of yours somewhere. Once you see the truth with your own eyes, then you won't be able to deny it any more." Nerr drew herself to her full height, which was quite a bit shorter than Ryouma, but it mattered not.

"I am not one of your serfs, princeling. I am Nohrian royalty. You don't get to order me around."

"You want to be a Nohrian? _Fine_. Then we'll have you executed like a Nohrian." He snapped his fingers and at once, the tips of at least half a dozen swords were aimed at her throat. She was impressed with the guards' precision, but that was it.

"Heh. You act as if I haven't been waiting for this for the past three days."

"Ryouma!" Mikoto stepped forward, a look of sheer panic on her face. "That is enough! All of you, stand down!" As quickly as they came, the swords were gone. "Nerrida, pay your brother no mind. He doesn't mean what he says. You've had a long journey, you are exhausted; of course you don't have to go." As the other woman spoke, the gears began turning in Nerr's mind. She had been well schooled in diplomacy, and more importantly, in bargaining.

"I am not a cruel person. I believe royalty has a duty to help innocents, regardless of where they hail from. Maybe we can work something out. Since you say I'm not here to be executed, there's no reason to keep me here. So I'll help your Hinoka and Sakura, and in exchange, you'll call your guard dogs off and I'll be free to go. And as added incentive, I _won't_ tell King Garon about you ambushing me and dragging me across the border. So what say you?" Ryouma sputtered indignantly, clearly not at all pleased with that arrangement. He opened his mouth, probably with the intent of ordering the guards to cut her down where she stood, but Mikoto shot a withering glare in his direction. Her face was once more a serene mask as she looked back at the Nohrian she claimed to be her 'daughter'.

"We would appreciate your help. And yes, after the fact, if you still do not believe us, if you still wish to go... you may leave."All eyes turned to her, disbelief plain on their faces. Nerr nodded, unsheathing Ganglari and testing it's weight, making sure she would still be able to swing it.

"I'll take you at your word, milady. Let's go."

000

The settlement was a few miles north of the capital, another snowy, mountain region. Suzukaze and Rinkah opted to join the prince and princess, though the added protection did nothing to ease Nerr's mind. If anything, it only served to set her more on edge. It was evident that Hoshidans were quick to stab one in the back (or club them in the head...), so she now had three people to keep eyes on at all times. The main thing she noticed, aside from the hideous architecture, was a surprising lack of soldiers. When she had left Nohr, there had been sentries posted everywhere, well towards the outskirts of the capital. And those were just the guards- she had been told that the infantry numbered in the thousands, saying nothing of the dragoons. As they left the castle, she saw only a scattered handful of soldiers, practicing odd stances. Unable to hide her disdain, she addressed prince Ryouma.

"Why don't you send your soldiers out to deal with this problem? Surely this isn't a task for the crown prince?"

"Our soldiers need to be ready to protect the border at a moment's notice. Nohr is good at organizing ambushes, as you yourself have seen."

"Not that this matters to you, but one lunatic who does not follow orders does not count as _Nohr_ ambushing your forces. I ordered that bastard to draw back with the rest of my party, and he deliberately ignored me. Rest assured, when I get my hands on him, he will endure a long, painful death." Ryouma actually turned towards her, his brows drawn together.

"What were you doing at the border in the first place?"

"Surveying."

"Surveying _what_?"

" _Nohrian territory."_ She did not need to tell him that Father sent her out there, or that Hans was his man. She continued walking in stony silence.

The sun was beginning to set by the time they reached the north, not that Nerr could tell. It was still painfully bright out, and the snowy ground and mountains blinded her. She unsheathed her sword and looked around for what could've been terrorizing the village. It was probably brigands or marauders. They were always attacking villages in Nohr, destroying the crops and killing the livestock. But as she surveyed the scene, there were no razing fires or screaming peasants. A loud, bestial growl echoed throughout the valley, and she looked up towards one of the low peaks, feeling her heart thud in her chest.

Massive creatures, ten feet tall at least, lumbered down the snowy hill towards them. Their skin was a sickly, mottled green, thick, rusted chains dragging from their wrists and ankles. Covering their heads were bulky leather masks. They roared again, charging at the warriors. Nerr had never seen anything like them before- the closest she could liken them to in her mind was the pictures she'd seen of trolls, gruesome monsters lurking beneath bridges waiting to ambush unsuspecting victims. There was no way they could face these creatures head on, there were too many of them, they would be ripped to shreds.

"There are Dragon Veins here." Ryouma told her, unsheathing his own sword as he stepped forward. It was a long sword, thin and curved with a relatively short hilt. The oddest thing was the way it glowed, bright arcs of light dancing along it's blade, reminiscent of lightning strikes. She only glimpsed it for a moment before he ran past her, towards the foot of one of the mountains. Holding his hand aloft, she saw the familiar glow of energy rise from the ground, channeling through the prince's, before exploding from his upturned palm in a ball of flames. The fireball collided with the mountain, the very ground beneath their feet rumbling as stones and snow flew through the air in all directions. As the horrid monsters stumbled from the tremors, they were buried beneath a thick layer of icy rubble. She could hear their dying groans as they were crushed. Behind her, Rinkah swore under her breath.

"Gods... I wouldn't want anyone using one of those Dragon Veins against me..." Nerr kept silent, remembering their first encounter. She must not have known it was a Dragon Vein that sent that rubble flying at her and the other prisoners.

Now seeing a more viable strategy for dealing with the horrible things, she walked forward, trying to drown out the groans and growls coming from the dead trees. Each step was slow and deliberate as she felt for the tingle of power to surge through her feet. There was another one near another hill, situated near an abandoned village. The creatures atop it did not seem organized, trudging in all directions. One of them, however, seemed to have spotted her. It turned it's bulk in her direction and began running down with a lopping, awkward gait. Nerr could feel the Dragon Vein, but she was too curious about this monstrosity to use it. As it came closer, she realized that there weren't just chains binding the creature.

It's entire body was covered in straps that seemed to form a crude sort of harness. The straps themselves were riveted into the beast's flesh, the thick skin deforming under the pressure of the screws. Something flew past her ear, sharp enough to cut through a few strands of her hair. By the time she realized what had happened, the monster gave a distorted cry of pain. There was a metal star embedded in it's throat, viscous blackish-purple blood spurting out. Shaken from her thoughts, Nerr channeled the power of the Vein beneath her, sending a fireball identical to the one Ryouma has unleashed at the mountain. She had to beat a quick retreat to avoid being crushed by the falling snow and rocks as well, coughing from the dus that now filled the air like a cloud. At the feeling of a hand on her shoulder, she whipped around, bringing the blade of her sword to Suzukaze's throat. His expression didn't even falter.

"Are you alright, Princess?" She glanced down, frowning as she noticed the hateful stars he still held.

"You almost hit me with those things."

"I was worried you might have frozen in fear. Rest assured, I have excellent aim." The Nohrian scoffed, pulling away from him and heading deeper into the woods.

"Yeah," she muttered under her breath. "And I'm sure next time you'll _aim_ for the monster and hit me." She did not trust these Hoshidans, and the sooner they fond this Hinoka and Sakura, the sooner she could leave. In the depths of the woods, she could hear voices that sounded human. Loud footsteps behind her signaled the approach of the others, and Ryouma ran past her.

"They're this way!" Not at all eager to help, she followed at a slower pace. Her feet were cold, she could barely move her toes anymore. Likewise, her fingers felt frozen to Ganglari's hilt and for a terrible moment, she remembered the way she had been unable to pry her hand loose from the sword as it dragged her into the chasm. Stopping, her felt her heart beat painfully against her lungs. There was no chasm anywhere around, she consoled herself. Shaking her head, she jogged out of the dreary woods, the bare branches occasionally catching at her cape, forcing her to tear it loose. Poor Camilla would be in a state when she saw what happened to Nerr's clothes. As she emerged back into the overly bright sun, the sounds of a scuffle to the east caught her attention.

Prince Ryouma and the former prisoners were engaged with picking off a handful of the beasts. They had no survival instinct, she noticed, pressing on over the corpses of their fellow monsters, as if they did not see the lightning-laced death that awaited them. A faint voice just barely caught her ear past another snow topped hill. Nerr found herself running towards the direction of the voice, the cold air stinging her lungs and teeth as she gulped it down in mouthfuls. There were two girls at it's base, one of them sitting awkwardly in the snow. She looked on in horror as one of the monsters descended on her. The girl was young, no more than twelve or thirteen... the same age as Elise.

Forcing herself to go faster, Nerr threw herself at the beast with a savage battle cry, sinking her blade into it's haunches. It cried out and swung it's massive fist at her. The princess managed to avoid the fist itself, but the rusty, frost covered chain struck her across the face. The coppery tang of blood exploded in her mouth as spots danced before her eyes. Shaking herself, she charged once more, digging the blade into the beast's protruding belly and pulling down. Thick, slimy ropes of entrails slid out onto the snow, their fetid stench making Nerr retch. With a guttural groan, the beast collapsed onto the snow. Spitting out a mouthful of blood, she approached the creature, keeping her gore encrusted blade ready. It's mask had come ajar, and curiosity once again got the better of her.

With the curved tip of her sword, she pulled the weathered leather off the monster's head, regretting her decision. It's face, if one could call it that, was the most frightening thing she had ever seen. It's mouth was a gaping hole, lined with sharp, rotting teeth. Beady, bloodshot eyes set wide on either side of it's face, like a horse, were sunken into deep folds of flesh... flesh that was barely being held together. Like gauze that was stretched too tight, it had begun to pull apart, exposing black muscles and even sticky yellow bone in some places.

Without warning, the eyes focused on her, and it roared, the sound no longer

muffled by it's mask, and all the more chilling for it. Before Nerr could even think to attack, a long, curved blade sank into the beast's face, spitting it's skull. Steam from the still warm blood rose up from it. Trying to catch her breath, and not inhale the stench from the monster, she turned to look at her savior. It was the other of the two girls, this one looking older, close to Nerr's age, though it was hard to tell as her body lacked any of the curves of a grown woman. If it weren't for the slight swell of her chest, Nerr wouldn't have even known it _was_ a female she was looking at, with her short red hair and long sideburns.

"Thanks." She muttered begrudgingly as the other woman pulled her blade free from the beast's head.

"I should be thanking you. That thing would've been on me before I'd even noticed if it wasn't for you. But speaking of which, who _are_ you? I know most of my brother's troops." Brother? The Nohrian girl raised an eyebrow. So this was a princess of Hoshido. She looked around the bleak landscape, affirming that there was in fact, no one else. No soldiers, no guards, no retainers... What foolishness.

"I'm not one of your brother's troops." She said icily, turning away from the other princess to head back to the capital. She'd fulfilled her obligation, and she fully intended to make this Mikoto fulfill hers.

"Hey! Wait a second!" The princess jogged up to her, grabbing her wrist to keep her from going any further. Nerr sneered. The Hoshidans were too familiar- people did not touch strangers so casually in Nohr, they were much more respectful. "You didn't tell me your name."

"My name isn't your concern, especially since you didn't tell me yours, but I am Princess Nerr Von Krakenburg." She pulled away from the other woman and continued walking before she could stop her again. By the time she made it back to the entrance of the woods, the other Hoshidans had finished off the rest of the monsters. The putrid smell of their blood and entrails carried on the wind, and she almost pitied the villagers who would have to deal with the corpses.

"Hey!" Ryouma called out to her, the snow underfoot crunching. His once white clothes were now streaked with gore. She didn't even want to know how she looked. "Where are you going?"

"Back to the capital."

"Wait!" Another voice carried across the snowy plains. Nerr looked up, her heart skipping a beat. The Hoshidan princess was coming towards her, riding a horse... that swooped through the air. As she took in it's huge wings, she realized that this, too, had been in that horrible nightmare. The princess landed a few feet from her and dismounted quickly, taking a second to help the other girl from the saddle. It was the younger girl who had nearly been attacked. She limped over to Nerr, one of her ankles swollen, the white stocking that covered that leg torn and bloody, though she could see no wound. Her hair was short too, but a lighter shade of red and a much more feminine cut. She looked at Nerr before averting her eyes quickly and bowing.

"Th-thank you so much! Y-you saved my life! U-um, if you don't mind too m-much, I-I-I'd like to know your n-name..." Nerr could barely understand what the girl was saying, she was stuttering so much. Then again, maybe she was cold. Her own extremities had gone completely numb. She should've been short with the girl, told her it wasn't her business, but she couldn't bring herself to. This girl was only Elise's age, and Nerr could never be short with her little sister. Besides, this one was the only Hoshidan that had shown her any respect thus far (Suzukaze didn't count, because he had stabbed her in the back). The Nohrian opened her mouth to answer, but the other girl beat her to it.

"I'm-"

"Nerrida. Her name is Nerrida." That was the same thing Mikoto and Ryouma had called her- how did this one know it too? Her voice was strangely tight as she spoke, and she was biting her lip, her hands clenched into fists. Nerr took a step back, uncertain what was going to happen, but well aware she would probably not like it. The younger girl looked concerned.

"Nee-sama? What's wrong?" Breathing deeply, the red-haired woman took a step closer to Nerr, looking deep into her eyes. All at once, her face crumpled and, like Mikoto had done earlier, threw herself against the Nohrian. She did not hug her so much as cling desperately to her, burying her face in Nerr's breastplate, paying no heed to the blood and grime covering it. Her hands shook something fierce as she sobbed.

"Oh gods... Nerr... you came back... I knew you would... I knew it... I missed you so much...!" Being cried on by a strange Hoshidan girl was making her very uncomfortable, but this one would not detach as easily as Mikoto. When Nerr tried to push her off, the woman responded by gripping her arms tightly.

"Damn it, woman, unhand me! This spectacle degrades me as much as you!" At those words, Ryouma glared at her, a glare she returned in full.

"Nerrida, this is Hinoka, your older sister. She was probably the most attached to you when you were little. You followed her everywhere. ...after you were kidnapped, she cried for months on end. Then, one day, the crying stopped and the training began. She vowed to destroy the Nohrians who took you from us, and bring you back if it was the last thing she did."

Nerr shifted uneasily. Everything they said was lies, but... it was all a rather elaborate hoax. Why would they go through this much trouble to deceive her? What did they want? They were wasting too much energy to kill her. If they wanted her to divulge Nohr's secrets, they were out of luck, because Father never told her anything. Besides, flat out torture was a much easier method for extracting information. For the first time in days, she wished Gunther were there with her. He could tell her what they were up to, he understood Hoshidans. She shut her eyes tightly, refusing to tear up in front of the enemy. To her surprise, and relief, Hinoka released her, stepping back and wiping her eyes.

"Sorry, Nerrida. You're right, that was shameful. I'm not usually that emotional. I'm just... I'm just so happy you're back. Back where you belong..." She laughed loudly, a flock of birds scattering in the distance. "You see that, Nohrian bastards?!" She cried out to the heavens. "You can't ever conquer us! We will _always_ break free!" Nerr wanted to punch this annoying, raucous girl in the throat. The younger girl limped forward a bit more, her timid expression being the only thing that held the Nohrian back.

"Wait... y-you're Nerrida? Really? Oh... I've heard s-so much about you, nee-sama! I'm so happy to m-meet you!" The older girl turned away, not wanting to look into the young girl's earnest face. How low could they sink, bringing a child into their deception? Ryouma placed his hand on the girl's shoulder.

"I know you're excited, Sakura, but we need to go now. You're injured, and the last thing we want is to be caught unawares when Nohr deploys more monsters." That was the final straw for Nerr. She rounded on the prince, baring her teeth.

"What the hell do you mean, before _Nohr_ deploys more monster?"

"I mean exactly what I said." He said, his voice level in the face of her rage. "Those creatures that we killed? They're called Faceless, soulless husks created by Nohrian dark magic. They were made to destroy everything in their path, even the filth that created them." Hinoka nodded fervently.

"They're the worst thing Nohr can throw at us now. Our mother, Empress Mikoto, enshrouded out kingdom with a barrier. As long as she lives, anyone who enters it looses the will to fight- in other words, no Nohrians. That's what protects us from their barbarian army." Nerr gritted her teeth, a vile rage building in her. She was sorely tempted to tell the other girl that their _mother's_ barrier was shit, because the will to fight was only growing stronger within her.

"You're wrong. I don't know where those things come from, but Nohr isn't responsible. Nohr would never terrorize innocent villages."

"Of course they would!" Hinoka shouted back at her. "They're pure evil! They took you when you were a baby; how can you think they wouldn't resort to such foul play? The only thing Nohrians care about is spreading as much misery and cruelty as they can-"

"Shut up! Shut your filthy whore mouth! You don't know anything about Nohr! I won't stand here and listen to you insult my people!" With that, she stormed back through the woods, paying no heed to the people calling out to her. That wasn't her name, anyway. She didn't know who 'Nerrida' was- she was Nerr Von Krakenburg, and she'd had enough of this horrible country and it's people.

000

By the time she had returned to the castle, the sky was a dark golden orange streaked with violet wisps, the darkest it seemed to get. Her feet were in agony and she was shaking, partially from exhaustion but mostly from the cold. Empress Mikoto stood at the entrance of the castle, scanning the horizon, most likely searching for the first sign of her children. Her face lit up as she spotted Nerr, and she rushed out to greet her warmly, but the princess would have none of it. She kept her part of the deal, she helped Hinoka (racist slattern) and Sakura (a shame such a sweet girl had such a horrible family). She expected the empress to hold her end and let her go. Mikoto twisted the fine silk of her robes between her fingers, shuffling awkwardly, much in the same way Nerr often did.

"Yes, I know I said you could go, but-"

"But what?! But nothing!"

"...but you're injured. Look at you, you can barely stand. How do you expect to make it back to Nohr in such a state?" She hated to admit it, but the older woman was right. She would probably keel over before she even made it to the Infinite Chasm. Taking her so-called daughter's silence as agreement, she continued. "Why don't you rest a bit? We have very talented healers in the castle."

"...fine. I'll stay until I'm healed. And then I'm leaving."

The empress led her inside, to a room filled with mats on the floor, a handful of soldiers laying on them as men and women in odd looking robes similar to the ones the empress wore waved staves over them, various parts of their bodies glowing green to signal the healing. As reluctant as she was, Nerr's body cried out for relief. The pins and needles sensation in her feet was almost unbearable, and the side of her face where the monster's chain had struck her now felt swollen and hot. Grateful for the rest, she stretched out on one of the mats, though it struck her as odd that there wouldn't even be cots in the castle. Rather than leave her as Nerr assumed she would do, Mikoto knelt by her side, the same serene smile on her face. The intensity of her gaze made her uncomfortable.

"Please stop staring at me. I don't know your customs in Hoshido, but in Nohr, that's considered incredibly rude."

"I'm sorry. It's rude here too, but... it's just been so long since I've seen you. I always wondered what you grew up into..." Her smile widened. "A fierce warrior, it seems. Your father would be so proud of you..."

"My father _is_ proud of me." Of course, that was a lie. King Garon would probably disown her once he found out that she had allowed herself to be captured by Hoshidans, but _she_ didn't need to know that. The empress's smile dimmed a bit.

"Hmm... Well, before you go, perhaps you'd like to refresh yourself. You can bathe and I'll have your clothes mended-"

"I can mend my own clothes."

"Alright. Perhaps you'd like them washed?"

"..." The thought of wearing _clean_ clothes wasn't a terrible one. Feeling as if she'd somehow lost a great battle, she grumbled her assent.

000

Healed and clean for the first time in at least a week, Nerr felt like a new person. Her gloves were beyond repair and had to be discarded, and though her cloak was shredded as well, she could not bring herself to toss it aside. Before she left, the empress wanted to show her one last thing. Despite the fact that she was fed up with Hoshido, she reminded herself that she was a princess first and foremost, and as such, had a duty to represent her country in the best light possible. Given the Hoshidan's view of all Nohrians as evil barbarians, she accepted the empress's offer graciously, intent on rubbing that in their faces.

The doors in the castle were made of thin paper screens rather than a more sensible wood, and they slid open with no hinges. The two of them stepped into a dim room, with a rich carpet. Toys were scattered about on the floor, colorful balls and dolls, and in the corner, a strange looking carved animal that reminded Nerr of a rocking horse she had seen in a picture once. She looked around, taking in the small mat in the corner, with a thick blanket thrown over it. The pile of small blue robes...

"What is this place?" Nerr asked, feeling ill at ease as she continued cataloging everything. The small dark room made her feel claustrophobic. She was used to large, open rooms. Granted, the rooms in the citadel were dark too, but it was a natural darkness borne of the night sky, and there was always the light of the stars. Mikoto's smile as she followed Nerr's gaze was sad.

"This was... _is,_ your old room." Desperate to put distance between herself and the other woman, the princess walked around. Something crumpled under her foot, and she looked down. She'd stepped on an old piece of paper laden with scribbles. With a lot of squinting, she could just make out the basic figure of three people, two larger ones on each side with long hair, and a smaller one in the middle.

"And what's this, then?" Her... _mother_ chuckled softly.

"You drew that when you were little. See? That's your father, and that's you, and that's me..." As she looked harder at the picture, she could just make out a small black mark in the corner of the smallest figure's face, matching the mark on one of the larger figures. Unconsciously, she reached up, her fingers brushing against the mole on her chin. Mikoto eyes gleamed with unshed tears as she looked down at the picture.

"So cute..." she muttered to herself. "You were always drawing pictures of us, your family. I kept them all. ...I couldn't bear to touch anything in here after you were taken. It's exactly the way you left it when you and Ryouma went to Chevalier with your father... If we cleaned it up, it would be like... like we were admitting you were really gone. I couldn't do that... none of us could..." The empress walked over to her, brushing a lock of hair from her face. "You've grown so much... You've become so beautiful, so strong and brave..."

Nerr felt her resolve breaking down. She turned slowly to face the older woman. Truly, they looked the same age, but she could see a weariness in her deep brown eyes, the same look she often saw in Gunther's eyes, proof of someone who has lived so long and endured so much.

"Listen. You say you're my mother. You might even believe that, I don't know. But I have no proof of that. I grew up in Nohr, my family is in Nohr. Do you really think I believe you? Do you think I _can_ believe you, even if I want to?"

"What...?" Nerr sighed, running a hand through her hair, pulling at the tangled braids threaded through the loose strands. She had not tied it back up yet.

"You... reminisce about things that I have no knowledge of. You say I'm your daughter, but to me... you're a stranger. All of you people are strangers to me in an enemy land."

"Nerrida..." Her delicate brows drew together as fat tears tracked twin trails down her cheeks. For the first time, Nerr felt guilty for her coldness.

"I'm... sorry. If you really think that I'm your daughter, then... I'm sorry I can't believe you."

"I understand." She was not expecting that. "What you say is true. You grew up far away from us, in a different country, surrounded by different people... I don't know what became of your life, but the way you speak, it sounds like it must've been very happy for you to have such loyalty to Nohr. I pray that you remember the truth, but I won't force you..."

With that, the empress walked out of the room, her long robes trailing behind her. Nerr cast one more glance around the room, sighing deeply before follow Mikoto from the room. The guards stared at her, but she paid them no mind, walking as quickly as she could towards the castle's entrance. No one stopped her, which was for the best, because the last thing she wanted was to have to kill any soldiers just for doing their duty. Despite surely being night, it was still plenty bright out. Nohr lay to the west, so she turned and began walking.

After about ten minutes, she had come to a small, sparse forest, the tree's low branches catching at her hair. The mountains in the distance were blocked from her by a large lake. She would have to walk all the way around, and then climb back over the ravine... who knew where she would end up. She was sure Xander would know, he probably knew every inch of Nohr. Leo too; he was so smart, he'd probably be halfway home by now. Camilla would simply fly home, and Elise... well, Elise would probably be as helpless as her, but that didn't make her feel any better, knowing she was on par with her little sister.

"Gods, I miss you guys... and Jakob and Flora and Felicia..." Her throat tightened and tears stung her eyes. Gunther would probably be rolling over in his grave if he saw her now. He raised her to be stronger than this... but she felt so weak and alone.

" _You are the ocean's gray waves... destined to seek life beyond the shore, just out of reach..._ "

Nerr gasped sharply and looked around. A high, warbling voice echoed through the clearing, but she could see nothing. Still there had to be someone there. Even though her mind didn't care, she could not help but be drawn into the gentle song. She'd always loved music, and found that through her violin or pianoforte or even the lullabies she muttered under her breath when no one was around, she could be free of the confinement and crushing sense of duty that had overtaken her life. At least for a time. She followed the voice to the other side of the lake, where a pier jutted out into the water. A woman (at least she assumed it was a woman) in a long white gown walked out to the edge. Her hair was the same color as the Hoshidan sky at the height of day, and it brushed the backs of her knees. Nerr found herself swaying slightly in time to the song, finding it hard to resist the urge to close her eyes.

" _Yet the waters ever change... flowing like time... The path is yours to climb..._ "

The woman cut off her song abruptly with a quiet gasp, and spun around to face her. She couldn't be older than Nerr herself. For a moment, a look of shock took over the other girl's face, but it quickly settled into something akin to vexation. She turned and began walking back down the length of the pier to shore, stopping a few feet from Nerr. The woman in white had startling gold eyes, she noticed.

"Yes? Can I help you?"

"...no. I just heard something and wanted to see what it was. What an enchanting song." The other girl stared intently into her eyes, and the Nohrian princess realized she could see herself in their golden depths.

"...Princess Nerrida, I presume?" Though she was shocked, she did not let it show on her face or in her voice.

"All of Hoshido knows who I am- my reputation precedes me, it seems. And you might be...?"

"My name is Azura. I am... or rather, I _was_ , a princess of Nohr." This time, Nerr could not keep a stoic face.

"That's impossible. I'd have heard of you if you were Nohrian royalty." Azura shook her head, her long hair swaying around her like a cape.

"You wouldn't. I haven't been Nohrian royalty for a long time. Since we were both children, I would think." She looked up to the sky, towards the mountains that separated them from Nohr. "After you were kidnapped, the Empire of Hoshido did everything in it's power to retrieve you. They sent shinobi and mercenaries to find you, but they were all thwarted... or killed. King Garon ensured that you would not be taken... I wasn't nearly as heavily guarded, so I was taken instead."

"What?! Why would they take you? Did they try to pass you off as me?" A slight grin came to Azura's face at that remark, but it was gone just as quickly.

"Obviously not. The kingdom's advisors thought I could be used as a bartering chip. One princess for another. That was the plan, but well... here we are, nearly fifteen years later."

Nerr shook her head in disbelief. That couldn't be possible, it had to be more lies, but gods! Was everyone in all of Hoshido in on this lie? How could they all tell the same story? Still, it couldn't be true, she would not believe it.

"No, you're wrong. Father would never let the Hoshidans keep you hostage if you're his daughter; he loves his children! He- he would've saved you..." Again, Azura smiled, this time longer than before, but it didn't quite meet her eyes.

"I don't need to be _saved_ from Hoshido. I enjoy living here. When it became clear that Garon wouldn't try to get me back, Empress Mikoto adopted me as her daughter. This may not be my true home, but I like living here." A dark cloud seemed to descend over her. "After living in Nohr, Hoshido was like waking from a bad dream."

"It seems that you and I are exactly alike in that regard."

"Hmm?"

"Coming to Hoshido woke you from a bad dream. _Being_ in Hoshido is a nightmare I can't wait to wake from." The other girl gasped in shock at Nerr's admission.

"How can you say that? Your family loves you; Empress Mikoto has spoke of nothing but this day for as long as I can remember. You don't want to stay with them?"

"What of you?" Nerr retorted, bitterness creeping into her words. "Hoshido is so wonderful to you... If Nohrian troops ambushed you at this moment and dragged you back to Nohr, back to your _true_ family, would you at once embrace them all with open arms?"

"No. I couldn't."

"Well then, you've just answered your own question."

"But this is different. I'm thinking not just of the people in each country, but the countries themselves and how they are governed. Mikoto is a peaceful sovereign. Garon is not."

" _Father_ does what is best for his people, and if that is not _peaceful_ then it cannot be helped." For a long, awkward moment, a heavy silence loomed between them. Azura closed her eyes for a second, then opened them, staring at Nerr.

"I'm sure I already know, but what are you going to do now?"

"I'm going home. You probably expected me to say that, and you were right. I made an agreement with _Empress_ _Mikoto_ \- I assisted in the rescue of her daughters, and she has agreed not to stop me when I leave." Azura's mouth actually fell open in shock.

"She actually told you that?"

"What reason would I have to lie? Well, I suppose this is farewell. Enjoy your life in Hoshido." With that, Nerr turned around and headed back the way she came. It would take a while, but she would reach the mountains eventually. From there, she did not know where she would go, but at least she would be back in Nohr.

000

Everything had been going so well. She had just cleared the densest part of the forest. The sheer side of the Infinite Chasm was in sight. She was exhausted, and decided to take a quick rest before scaling the crag. No sooner than she had sat down on the warm forest floor, her back pressed against a tree, did she hear quick, heavy footsteps. Lots of them. Jumping back to her feet, she grabbed her sword, preparing for the worst she could think of. The footsteps were too nimble to be those horrid Faceless monsters, so her mind went immediately to slavers. She made a mental note to thank Leo later for putting that thought in her mind as she backed away from the source of the noise, making sure to face it lest she be caught unaware. From the dense thicket, a squad of Hoshidan soldiers appeared. She tightened her grip, but as she took the sight of them in, she realized that their swords were sheathed.

"Over here! We found her!" One of them called back into the brush. "The princess is over here!" She lowered her sword in confusion, but did not put it away. Why were they looking for her in the first place? For every step they took towards her, she took two back. "Don't worry, princess. We'll escort you back to the castle." Never had she heard such ominous words spoken in such a light tone. One more step in her direction, a twig snapping under the soldier's foot, and flight won out in her mind. She turned and began running hell to the wind towards the chasm. Judging by the footsteps behind her, they would catch up quickly.

Nerr was fast- she always outran Jakob and Felicia during training, but she was used to running on smooth, clean stone. This uneven dirt floor, riddled with sticks and pointed stones and prickly bushes, was a completely foreign sensation. It was almost impossible to see where she was going, as branches whipped at her face. Her foot caught on a root sticking out from the ground, and she went down hard, the breath knocked right out of her. The time it took for her to get back up allowed the soldiers to overtake her. Reaching down, they grabbed her arms and turned back, away from the mountains, away from Nohr, dragging her back to Hoshido.

She struggled every step of the way, kicking and biting, writhing against their grips like a wild animal caught in a snare. Even though she was tired and sore, she fought tooth and claw until she was back in the castle's throne room. Mikoto stood there, along with Ryouma.

"Let go of me! Let me go, you savages!" The soldiers ignored her, looking instead to the prince, who nodded.

"You did well. You can let her go now, but make sure the doors are all guarded." They released her at once, bowed deeply, and left the chamber. The empress approached her, her brows once more drawn together.

"Thank the gods you're safe. I was worried..." She reached out to touch Nerr's cheek, but the princess viciously slapped her hand away.

"What is the meaning of this, you sending your goons out after me?" While the other woman gaped at her in a stunned silence, Ryouma spoke up.

"Azura told us you were walking around the lake. It's easy to get lost out there, especially at night, so we sent the guards out to make sure you made it back safely." It was Nerr's turn to gape. It was almost surreal, the way they acted as if nothing strange had happened.

"I wasn't walking," She seethed at the older man. "I was _leaving_ , and your Azura knew damn well that I was leaving because I _told_ her!" Ryouma's eyes narrowed, and she was certain she saw a flash of disgust in them.

"You aren't going anywhere. You can't honestly believe we're going to let you go back to Nohr after we've finally gotten you back." Nerr's pulse fluttered in her throat, and she could feel her lungs tighten as she turned to Mikoto, who was looking away from her.

"You said I could leave without any trouble if I helped your daughters! You gave me your word!"

"Nerrida, you _are_ my daughter. I know this seems cruel and underhanded to you, but it's for your own good. If you just stay a little longer, I'm sure you'll remember something and realize we're telling the truth."

"So I am to be your prisoner now, is that it? Now you have the upper hand on Nohr-"

"No! That has nothing to do with it! You are _not_ a prisoner; this is your home! You can explore the castle, or the town... you are free to do anything you'd like." Nerr recoiled from the woman in disgust. Free to explore the confines of her prison- that sounded familiar. Only this prison could never be considered a home, her family was not here, her memories were not here... just liars and back stabbers.

"Free to do anything but leave, isn't that right? I know _that_ brand of freedom all too well."


	6. A Hard Truth

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Ch. 6- "A Hard Truth"

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It was impossible to know exactly how much time was passing in Hoshido. Though the sky occasionally darkened a bit, Nerr had covered the screen windows with the tiny robes scattered about _her_ room. She wanted nothing to do with the cruel Hoshidan light. She didn't want to remember where she was, but it was inescapable. Every time she tried to run, the guards caught her and dragged her back before the empress and prince. Ryouma glared at her, shaking his head in disgust, while Mikoto just sighed sadly. It didn't take long for Nerr to give up her hopes of escape. Her siblings probably didn't even know she was in Hoshido, assuming she had fallen into the ravine. There was no one coming for her, no one expecting her... She was alone, hopeless... As she lay in the corner, curled into a tight ball, a dim memory of another dark cell rose to the surface of her mind, flickering like a dying flame before retreating back to the depths.

Occasionally, food was left outside her door, by her supposed sisters (the younger one, Sakura, more than the other), but it always went uneaten. Sometimes, Mikoto would call out to her from the other side of the door, but her entreaties to talk were ignored. The only thing Nerr did in her captivity was indulge in her oldest hobby- sleep. Whenever her eyes flickered open, she shut them tightly again, forcing herself to drift off again. Her muscles ached from being still for so long, her head hurt and she felt sick to her stomach, but it didn't matter. While most of her dreams were nightmares, filled with blood and screams and being torn away from her family, occasionally, she would return to the Citadel, indulging in Jakob and Flora's culinary creations, riding with Lilith, listening to Gunther's stories... It was those brief fantasies she longed for. She prayed, every time she woke, as she was dozing off again, that a merciful god would let her pass in her sleep so that those happy fantasies could once again become reality.

One day, the screen door slid open, and she cringed, unaccustomed to the sudden light and sound. Her head pounded as she opened her eyes, blinking hard to try and focus. A Hoshidan solider stood in her doorway.

"Mikoto-sama wishes to speak to you." Nerr scowled and pulled her small comforter over her head, leaving her feet exposed.

"Tell your bitch queen to go to hell. I have nothing to say to her." Heavy feet clomped over to her, and a large hand grabbed her arm, roughly heaving her to her feet. She gasped, affronted, as the soldier sneered at her.

"Listen, you worthless piece of trash. Mikoto-sama might be willing to forgive your sins against Hoshido, but she's the only one. The rest of us would gladly take the first chance we got to teach a Nohrian whore a lesson, so you'd best appreciate the protection our empress offers..." It took a moment for Nerr to understand what the wretched soldier was telling her, and hazy memories of cruel and lewd Nohrian guards swam to the surface of her mind, their grins and eyes sending shivers down her spine. Gritting her teeth, the Nohrian princess twisted in the soldier's grip, driving her heel into his groin with as much force as she could. With an emasculate wail, he let her go, dropping to his knees.

"I don't need anyone's protection. I know how to deal with savage animals on my own." Stepping over the guard's body, she sighed deeply and headed out into the direction of the throne room.

000

A potent mix of dread and anger churned in Nerr's gut as she approached the Hoshidan throne, where Empress Mikoto was standing. The older woman smiled warmly as her daughter approached.

"You look better after a few days to yourself, Nerrida." _'Oh, shut up, you bitch...'_ She bit her tongue, though it would've been amusing to see how her so-called mother would respond to those unsavory thoughts.

"What do you want now?" She seethed. The empress cringed at her harsh tone.

"Nerrida... I'm so sorry things have to be like this. Please, if you don't believe anything else I say, believe that. Even if you don't understand my motives as a sovereign, try to understand them as a mother." The Nohrian girl adamantly refused to do such a thing.

"I understand that you're a liar with no honor. Tell me what you've called me here for, or let me resume waiting for death." Mikoto sighed deeply, looking physically wounded. When she opened her eyes, they were filled with sorrow.

"There is... something I'd like to ask of you. Would you try sitting on the throne for a moment?"

Nerr looked up at the behemoth throne, scowling. It looked normal enough, aside from being hideous, but appearances could be deceiving. She remembered reading about torture methods. There were plenty that involved chairs; chairs with large spikes jutting from them, chairs laced with poison, ones with straps that held you down while your torturers crushed or burned away your feet... There were no visible spikes or straps, but that didn't mean poison was out of the question.

"Why would I do that?" She asked, her suspicions rising. "What are you plotting?"

"I'm not plotting anything, Nerrida. This throne is infused with the power of the First Dragons. Those who sit on it regain their true form, their true mind..."

"Their true memories?" Nerr interjected. "That's what you're saying? If I sit on your fancy chair, I'll miraculously remember all the things you've been claiming?"

"...yes." The empress looked utterly heartbroken. "I would think that you would remember _something_ , you weren't _that_ young... I don't know if the Nohrians sealed them away, or if you repressed them, but I know they're there! I _know_ you remember me and your siblings... All you have to do is sit here and everything will come back..."

"Everything..." Nerr felt her fingers tremble as she recalled those hazy, half-memories that sometimes crossed her mind. The darkness and terror and pain that haunted her bits and pieces, all becoming crystal clear... "N-no... No, I don't want to...!" She stumbled back from the throne, shaking her head fervently. Mikoto stepped down, approaching her with outstretched hands, an apologetic look on her face.

"Calm down, Nerr. I'm sorry, please calm down. I'm not going to force you to do something that makes you uncomfortable..." For a moment, the younger girl began calming down, until heavy footfalls sounded behind her. Starting, she leapt about a foot in the air, and turned around, expecting another guard intent on forcing her onto the throne. Instead, an older man, bespectacled and unshaven, approached them. His hair was a similar same shade to Nerr's, and sloppily tied into a short ponytail. He smiled at the empress, paying the Nohrian girl no mind.

"Excuse me, Mikoto-sama. The ceremony is about to begin." At once, the empress's serene mask went back up.

"Thank you, Yukimura-san. Nerrida, I doubt you remember him, but this is Yukimura, one of our strategists and my advisor."

"Of course I don't remember him." Nerr hissed under her breath. "Even if I did, why would I know one of your advisors?"

"Ah, perhaps I can explain." The tactician, like his empress, sounded older than he looked. "I used to look after you when you were young, princess. I remember that time so clearly, I must say it's a shock to see how you've grown up. But a pleasant shock, for you've become as lovely as your mother." The empress laughed sweetly.

"Oh, hush. You're too much. All jests aside, I'm certain we would be lost without him."

"You're much too kind, empress. I'm simply here to help in any way I can." Nerr had been distracted by the strange, flirtatious turn the conversation had taken, but quickly recalled something worrying that had been said.

"What ceremony? What are you two talking about?"

"Well..." Mikoto seemed to slump a bit. "I had planned on making a public announcement of your return-"

"WHAT?! Why would you do that?!" A throat cleared loudly behind her, and she whirled around to see Ryouma standing there with his sisters, another young man with long hair who looked about Leo's age, and the traitor princess, Azura.

"There have been rumors that Nohrian spies have infiltrated the castle. It's creating unrest in the capital. The sooner we tell them that there is nothing here but our returned princess, the sooner they'll calm down." The prince turned to their tactician. "Yukimura-san, is everything ready?"

"Of course. People have already begun to gather at the plaza." Nerr laughed humorlessly.

"So you wish to drag me out and put me on display for the public. Never mind that I didn't agree to this. Never mind that I want nothing to do with your people..."

"These are _your_ people, Nerrida." Mikoto's voice was surprisingly firm. "This is your home, and it's only right that your subjects learn their princess has returned to them. I've arranged for your sisters and your brother, Takumi, to give you a tour of the capital. I used to take you out there all the time when you were little- the sights and smells might bring something back."

"It won't, but as your prisoner, I suppose I have no choice."

"Nerrida, you're not-"

"You _do_ realize that it would've been kinder for you to just execute me from the beginning, right?" She turned her back on the empress, refusing to listen to any more of her lies or excuses, turning her attention instead to her new retinue. Hinoka beamed at her mother.

"We'd be happy to show her around. Thank you, Mother."

"And you, Azura? You'll join them as well?"

"Of course. It would be my pleasure." The other Nohrian girl approached Nerr, her gaze inscrutable. "Hello, Nerrida."

"Don't speak to me. I've nothing to say to you, traitor..." She hissed. There were more choice words on the tip of her tongue, but her thoughts were interrupted as the youngest Hoshidan, Sakura, bounded up to her, smiling shyly.

"Um, I can't w-wait to show you around, n-nee-sama. I-I think you'll really l-like it here."

"I doubt it." She said quietly, her steps as heavy as her heart as she followed her supposed siblings from the castle.

000

The castle town was a hundred, thousand times worse than the Hoshidan countryside. The overly bright sky was compounded by the chaos of a large town. The streets were lined with vendors selling goods and food, and people were crammed together so tightly they could hardly squeeze past each other to walk. As Hinoka and Sakura dragged her into the throng, Nerr could feel her pulse quicken, her palms growing clammy.

It was so loud, as if all the people in the world were yelling directly into her ear. The smells, roasting meat and boiling vegetables and perfumes and spices, would've been pleasant on their own, but together they assailed her sensitive nose painfully. People jostled her from every side, knocking her around. Though her sword was at her side, she could not have reached for it in an emergency if she tried. She panted, hard, feeling as though there were no air in her lungs. Hinoka was saying something to her, she could see the other girl's mouth moving, but could hear nothing over the cacophony. A small hand rested on her arm, and she looked down to see Sakura's worried gaze.

"Nee-sama? Are you okay?" Nerr shook her head, the world spinning even faster as she did. It was too much, the sights, the sounds... She craved the calm of the Northern Citadel. Breaking away from the Hoshidan royals, she ran past them, paying no heed to the people she bowled over in her haste. She needed to get somewhere calm, somewhere secluded... skidding to a halt, she ducked into an alley. It led to another crowded street, but was itself deserted.

Breathing hard, Nerr lowered herself to the ground, her legs shaking like jelly. Wrapping her arms around her knees, she buried her face in them and began rocking. It was an old habit, one she had tried desperately to give up, but whenever she found herself overwhelmed, she could not help but retreat into a corner and huddle into a ball. It was unbecoming of a princess, Xander would scold her terribly if he ever saw such weakness, but it mattered not. Xander thought she was dead and she was at the mercy of Hoshidans... loud, garish, smelly Hoshidans that one could not escape... She cringed, curling up tighter as a group of people approached her.

"Nerr..." Hinoka's voice was a mix of concern and annoyance. "What was that about? Why'd you run off like that?" Sakura knelt down beside her.

"What's wrong, Nee-sama? W-why do you look so scared?"

"It's too much..." She whispered, her voice muffled by her arms. "It's too loud, it's too bright, I can't stand it..."

"It's not that loud." Hinoka argued.

"It's loud compared to Nohr. Even the markets in Windmire weren't this... raucous..." Azura's voice was quiet. Nerr would've agreed with her, if she wasn't still mad at the other woman. A male voice scoffed, barely audible over the racket from the street.

"I guess Nohrians are just allergic to things like sunshine, and friendliness."

"That's enough out of you, Takumi. Come on, Nerrida, we have to get to the plaza. Mother is waiting for us." Nerr groaned, her arms stiffening. A plaza full of Hoshidans, staring at her... such a thing was the stuff of nightmares.

"Nee-sama, we c-can't drag her out there if she doesn't f-feel good. Um, N-Nerrida-san?" Reluctantly, the Nohrian girl lifted her eyes. Sakura smiled slightly. "M-maybe eating something w-would make you feel better. Here." She handed Nerr a steaming white bun. Away from the multitudes of smells, it gave off quite an intoxicating aroma.

"What is it?"

"Well, u-um, it's a bun filled with s-sweet bean paste. T-they're one of my favorites. I-I hope you l-like it too..."

Still hesitant about trusting Hoshidans, but unable to ignore the ravenous beast in her stomach, she quietly took the proffered food, reining herself in not to inhale it in one gulp. It was different from anything she'd ever eaten in Nohr, the sweet taste of something she knew only to be savory turning her stomach, but she forced herself to keep eating. It wasn't _bad_ , truly, just something that must've been an acquired taste. Slowly, her shaking stopped and her breathing returned to normal.

"Feeling better?" Azura inquired, a silent glare her only response. Hinoka took her hands, pulling her brusquely to her feet.

"We don't want to keep everyone waiting. We might have to run- just don't you take off in the opposite direction." Her voice was teasing, but there was a hint of threat in her tone. She glanced down at Nerr's feet and sighed. "Why didn't anybody think to give you shoes before you left?" Shaking her head, she walked back into the crowd, her siblings following, with Nerr bringing up the rear. Or so she thought, until she noticed the boy, who's name she thought was Takumi, standing behind her, a fierce scowl twisting his otherwise youthful features.

"What's _your_ problem?" She snapped, in no mood for more belligerent Hoshidans. His voice was just as short as hers.

"You are. That's some act you put on, all weak and defenseless..."

"That was no act- you're horrible country overwhelms the senses."

"Don't you talk about Hoshido that way!" He thrust a finger in her face, hatred plain on his. Nerr slapped his hand away, returning his glare tenfold.

"I'll say whatever I wish." For a long time, they looked at each other in silence. Then, the younger boy spoke up.

"Why are you even here? Shouldn't you be heading back to Nohr soon?"

"I'm here because you're people dragged me here against my will. And trust me, boy- if I had my way, I'd have been back in Nohr a week ago."

"Takumi..." They looked up just in time to see Azura approaching them. "Don't harass her like that."

"Shut up, Azura! I don't need Nohrians pretending to be my sisters." He pushed past her rudely, catching up to his eldest sister. Azura's face was, for the most part stoic, but just as she could see through Xander's mask, Nerr too saw the faint trace of distress on the other princess's face. But unlike Xander, who would've inspired sympathy in her, she could only scoff.

"Goodness. You've been here almost as long as I've been in Norh, and you're s _till_ just another Nohrian to them. One has to wonder how enjoyable it is living amongst such cold people..."

"That's not- Takumi's just-"

"Save your breath- I have no desire to hear anything you have to say." She continued walking in the direction the other Hoshidans had, groaning in annoyance as the other woman trotted to catch up to her.

"Nerrida-"

"It's _Nerr_. I am sick of hearing that."

"...alright. Nerr, then. I know you're upset with me for telling Empress Mikoto about you're leaving-" Nerr rounded on the girl, her eyes blazing.

"Upset? No, I'm upset that I'm stuck in this awful country. I am _furious_ with you! I could be home now if it wasn't for you! Honestly, it's taking every ounce of self control I have to not strangle you to death with your own hair!" Azura lowered her eyes, having the decency to look ashamed of herself.

"I guess I deserve that..."

"Damn straight, you do!"

"But you have to understand, I didn't do it to be cruel. For fifteen years, I've listened to your mother talk about you. Fifteen years of hearing her relive the four that she had with you. She tries to look calm and collected and regal in public, but in private... She used to go in your room to cry all the time. She would hold your clothes and toys and just weep for hours on end. ...I knew she would be devastated if you left. I couldn't just stand by and let that happen."

Nerr found herself at a loss for words. She could not imagine her father mourning for her in such a way. Her brothers and sisters, definitely- she could see Elise and Camilla crying their eyes out. Had she not been caught up in this maelstrom of confusion and lies and uncertainty, she would herself be mourning Gunther just as desperately. Maybe... maybe it was true, that this woman she had no recollection of was her mother, maybe... _something_ had happened and she wound up in Nohr, but none of that mattered. She looked back up at Azura, her anger receding at the sight of her mournful face.

"Maybe you were trying to help her. But what about me? Do I truly have no say in this? Mikoto may be my mother, but that doesn't matter to me. I grew up without a mother- I can live without one. I _can't_ live without my brothers and sisters, my friends and family. I don't want to be here- I want to go home...!"

"I... I'm sorry..."

"U-um..." They both looked down to see Sakura standing off to the side, looking at the ground, her hands twisting in her red silk skirt. "I-I don't mean to interrupt, but... H-Hinoka-san says you n-need to hurry up..." Azura smiled warmly at the young girl.

"Of course. We'll be right there." Her face was much less warm as she looked back at Nerr. "Well? Are you coming?" Nerr sighed deeply, that ever-present hopelessness washing over her once more.

"I have no choice. If I refuse, you'll tell _mother_ I'm lost and she'll send her goons after me again."

000

The town plaza was not as crowded as the market, though perhaps it only felt that way because all the people were off to the side, forming a large circle around the center where Mikoto stood with Nerr. The princess paid little mind to what her mother (it was growing wearisome to keep thinking 'supposed-mother) was saying, her arms outstretched as she addressed her subject.

"My people, I am so glad you could join me on this most glorious of days. I know there have been rumors of Nohrian spies, but I assure you all, that is false. No, the only thing that has come to our great land from Nohr is our long-lost daughter, Nerrida." At this, the crowd began cheering and applauding. Nerr wanted to cover her ears from the deafening roar, but she steeled herself. She was a princess of Nohr, regardless of what anyone said, and she would present herself as such. Still, her gaze wandered away from the crowd and over the various statues in the plaza. They were all different types of dragons, some she had seen in books, others that were foreign to her, like the one in who's shadow she stood. It's wings were half furled around it's long, coiling body, casting a blessed shadow over her, shielding her from the harsh sun's rays. Mikoto turned towards Nerr, a smile and expectant look on her face. Had she wanted her to say something? The Nohrian girl hadn't heard half of what she'd said.

She opened her mouth to tell the empress that if she wanted some tearful dreck of how happy she was to be back, she could forget it, but a strange burning cold at her hip distracted her. She glanced down to see Ganglari glowing in it's scabbard, enveloped in the same malefic aura that had been present at the Infinite Chasm. For a moment, she thought of reaching down, taking it out and examining it, but the memory of it freezing to her skin and dragging her down stayed her hand. There was no time for such a thing, anyway, for with a blast of darkness, it broke free from the scabbard, shredding the leather as it flew into the crowd. There were cries of pain and shock as it knocked people aside. All Nerr saw amidst the chaos in the crowd was a large ball of light, not the bright light of Hoshido, but a dark light, the kind that burned in the magic fueled fires in Nohr... but what would Nohrian magic be doing in Hoshido?

A large blast of energy erupted from the crowd, the shock waves sending people flying like leaves in the wind, and knocking Nerr back into the dragon statue so hard she was certain she felt something snap. As she tried to catch her breath, she noticed the large houses and building that surrounded the plaza crumbling. In the midst of the destruction, she could just make out a shadowy figure, but it was nearly impossible to see through the thick smoke and dust. Something flew past her cheek, so close she could feel it graze her skin, drawing blood. Fletchettes, consumed with an arcane energy, whizzed past her, occasionally catching on her clothes and hair, cutting everything they met to shreds. They came, faster and thicker until the air was full of them. She needed to move, she needed to get out of the way... they were going so fast that when they struck someplace vital (and they would, it was not a question of if, but when), her armor would not be enough to stop them.

But even though her mind told her that, Nerr could not force her body to respond. She was, in fact, frozen with shock, with fear. _'This is my death,'_ she thought, rather calmly. _'_ _I_ _'m going to die now. I knew I would die in Hoshido...'_ The princess was about to lift her arm, not to fend off anything, but to cover her eyes- she did not want to see this cruel, unexpected death coming, but before she could block anything out, a sudden movement from her right caught her eye. It was hard to make out; all she could see was something white jump in front of her, and a blast of dark magic. A loud, anguished scream cleared her mind, and Nerr looked up to see Empress Mikoto standing in front of her, pure agony on her face. The white of her silk robes was quickly consumed by red, gushing from the jagged holes in her chest and stomach.

Wisps of dark smoke rose from the wounds, curling and dissipating in the air. The older woman whimpered in pain, stumbling blindly towards Nerr, who reached out as she fell without any conscious thought. She lowered the empress to the ground, cradling her head as torrents of blood oozed over her legs and arms. To say she was in shock was an understatement. This woman, this stranger to her, had thrown her life away to save Nerr's. Mikoto's face, already pale, had gone white as the marble of the now-ruined statues surrounding them. Slowly, she opened her eyes, which were already growing dull as her life seeped out.

"You're... not hurt?" She whispered, her voice tight with pain. "Tell me you're okay..." Nerr felt her throat tighten painfully and she gasped for air to answer.

"I'm fine." The empress, her mother, smiled, heedless of the blood gathering at the corners of her mouth.

"Good. I'm... so... glad..." Her eyes fluttered, closing partway as she sighed in a very final way, going limp in Nerr's arms.

The suddenness, for it came _so_ unexpectedly, was what hurt Nerr the most. People died in war, certainly, even sovereigns, but this was no battlefield. There was no fighting going on here. And granted, she did not like Hoshidans, lest of all their lying empress, but _never_ did she want this to happen. Fighting soldiers far away from innocent people was acceptable, but this... This was just murder. A murder made all the more cruel for the knowledge that, rightfully, Nerr should've been the one killed. That blast was coming towards her, it was intended for her, from the same sword that nearly took her life once before. She had been prepared to die, she wasn't afraid, her family probably already thought she was dead.

Instead, another family lost their mother, her life so cruelly snuffed out to save a child who didn't even acknowledge her. Tears clouded Nerr's vision as sobs choked her. She wished now that she could go back and do things differently, that she had at least _acted_ like she believed Mikoto's claims, that she had maybe smiled at her, just once. She had died without hearing the girl she was convinced was her daughter even call her 'mother'. The Nohrian girl felt that she would drown in her guilt.

"Mother!" She wailed, as if somehow, the limp body in her arm would awaken by hearing it. She called out to the dead woman again and again, the guilt tearing her apart. Behind her, another voice, younger and even more distraught, called out for mother as well. She could vaguely hear Ryouma yelling something, charging past her with a furious roar, but all of that seemed far away. All Nerr could focus on was the blood, still warm but cooling quickly, on her legs, and her pulse pounding in her ears. With every beat of her heart, her vision flashed a painfully blinding white before fading to black. White, black, white, black- the princess was certain she was going blind, but even that seemed inconsequential, compared to the pain radiating throughout her body. It was the same pain she'd felt at the chasm, only so much more pronounced.

This time, there was no anger to distract her from the worst aspects of it, only guilt whispering maliciously in her ear, _you deserve this..._ It felt as if she were burning from the inside out, filled to the brim with boiling oil that seared and scalded every inch of her. Her hands shook, with pain, with grief, as the burning sank into her bones. The air was so hot around her that every breath was agony. As the pain reached it's crescendo, she could endure it silently no longer. Throwing her head back, she screamed in agony, the sound tearing through her throat and bouncing around inside her brain. She wanted to curl into a tight ball until the pain subsided, but it felt as if she were on a rack, being stretched in every direction. This time it was not just one arm pulling until the ligaments tore and muscles snapped- it was every limb, her neck, her spine. Everything was being pulled apart and burned away. Her clothes seemed to crumble like ash as her armor fused to her skin, her jaw ripped off, her skull split open. There was no end to the agony she endured; how could she not be dead yet?

Suddenly, with no warning, the pain began to ease, the burning subsiding. She wanted to collapse in exhaustion, to weep and moan at the phantom pain in her body, but a voice in her head forced her to stand upright. _I am strong_ , the voice said, sounding so sure of itself that Nerr believed it. Even so, something was most assuredly wrong. Upright still felt like she was on her knees, resting most of her weight on her hands. And the ground, strewn with blood and debris, was so far away. Even the colors, that had once been so vibrant, were now all reduced to varying shades of gray. There were panicked screams behind her, and among them, a familiar voice in a horrified tone.

"Gods above! What _is_ that?!" From much further away, Ryouma answered. Normally, Nerr's hearing was better than most, but now? She could hear the eldest Hoshidan prince as if he stood not a foot from her.

"It's a dragon. I never thought I'd see the day..." He sounded awestruck. Nerr glanced around, noticing that while Suzukaze, Rinkah and Azura were all battered and bruised, they were otherwise unharmed. And also, staring at her, agape. _She_ was the dragon. Such a thing had been in books, of course- ancient races of dragons who took the form of humans and could change back with special stones.

But she had no stone, and really, how could she not have known she was a dragon? Though in hindsight, she recalled a few times when Gunther had brought a wyrmslayer to their weapons training. Felicia and Jakob had handled the blade with no problem, but just being near the horrid thing, the hilt stretched with the hide of long dead dragons and decorated with fangs, made her ill at ease. Once, the blade had burned her through her gloves, and afterwards, her hands would be covered with a terrible burning rash. The metal they were forged with was only fatal to dragons, so it never made sense why she grew so ill around them... until now.

But there were more pressing matters than being a dragon. Their small group was surrounded by flickering, vaguely human shapes. With purple flames licking at their feet, they were mostly invisible, but with her new, heightened senses, Nerr didn't need to see them for she could smell them. They gave off the same putrid reek that she could now associate with Ganglari. Slowly, the vague forms began shambling towards them, rippling as they moved, like water congealed into something solid. Sakura gasped in fear and ducked back, hiding behind Azura.

"Nee-sama? What _are_ those things!?"

"It doesn't matter. They're out for blood."

"Probably more Nohrian magic." Rinkah's voice was filled with disdain. "I don't care what they are; they're dead!" She rushed towards them, swinging her club, Suzukaze silent but close behind. It was _not_ a result of Nohrian magic, Nerr refused to believe that, but like Rinkah, she too did not care what they were. They were somehow associated with Ganglari, the cursed thing that was responsible for all this destruction, all her guilt. They would all perish. She cried out her frustration, her hatred, a distorted roar in her ears. Azura, when she spoke up, could barely be heard.

"Nerr, be careful! Some of these fiends are carrying wyrmslayers. I don't know how you react to them normally, but in this form, they might kill you." Were she able to escape her own head, Nerr would've told the other girl that she was already quite wary of wyrmslayers, thank you, but it didn't matter either way. At that moment, hatred fueled by grief and guilt overruled all rational thought. She did not care what wyrmslayers might do to her- all that mattered was taking their wielders down with her.

It was difficult to see where her foes were; the air around them shimmered, but with her new monochrome vision, it was hard to tell what was movement and what was dust in the air. Even their scent did not help in calculating their attacks. It did not change as they moved, heating and cooling as it did with Rinkah and Suzukaze, but rather, remained the same, flat carrion smell regardless. Such a thing might hinder another fighter, but Nerr was better than that. She had trained long and hard so as to not be taken off guard by anyone or thing. And though there was no sword in her hand now, she found she carried an equally deadly weapon. A whoosh of metal cutting air sounded below her and she looked down to see a vague figure take a swing at her. It's sword hit her leg (which felt like an arm, so she regarded it as such), but what normally would've left at least a smarting bruise barely caught her attention. It was as if she were made of stone; strong, unfeeling, indestructible.

Screaming a shrill battle cry, Nerr swung her elongated neck, intending to knock the nuisance aside. She did not figure in the added weight protruding sharply from her forehead. With a loud, squelching sound, her elegantly curved horns pierced through the fiend's jerkin and flesh, lacerating organs before poking through the other side. Perhaps under different circumstances she would've been horrified by what she'd done, but it seemed that this death was... hollow, in a way. There was no cry of pain, no guttural death rattle... Even the blood that sprinkled on her face as she shook her head to detach the body was cold, more like water than freshly spilled blood. It was more like killing one of those Faceless monstrosities than a living, breathing person. And it was all the better, for now, Nerr could reap her vengeance without guilt.

The nicks and dings left by their swords were barely worth her attention, and even the mage's (she caught the faint, familiar smell of elder magic about them) thunder spells only tingled a bit. Their flesh tore easily, like soft wet paper, spilling blood and innards onto the cracked and broken plaza stones, adding to the carnage. Further away, on the other side of the plaza, Ryouma was fighting... something. It was putting up much more of a fight than the cannon fodder she faced, and seemed skilled, for the crimson samurai could not so much as land a blow on it. A loud, pained cry rang out through the still air, catching her attention. It had to have been the prince, for when he spoke, his voice was tight with pain.

"You can kill me... but you cannot... kill the spirit of... Hoshido..."

"Nii-sama, no! Please, don't die, we can't lose you too..." Sakura cried loudly, trying to rush over to him, the tassels of her strange healing stave fluttering behind her. Azura held her back, pulling her away just as one of the invisible demons lashed out, the serrated blade striking the air that had, only second ago, been occupied by their youngest Hoshidan princess.

Regaining it's footing, the creature rushed out, drawing back it's sword once more to strike, and this time, it's aim would be true. Nerr could not allow such a thing- she could not let another life be cut short, especially one only beginning. She ran forward, so unused to this strange, loping gait but covering more ground in a single step than she could normally in five. She knocked Sakura and Azura out of the way, rearing up on her hind legs (which were just her legs, as far as her human anatomy was concerned) with the intention of trampling the miscreant to death, but before she could bring her full weight down on it's head, it had already swung it's sword, the faint green of the hammered ore gleaming ever so slightly in the hazy light.

The wyrmslayer connected with her exposed chest, it's serrated teeth cutting through the metallic scales, rending the tough hide beneath. An agony unlike anything she'd ever felt tore through the Nohrian girl, and she dropped down, all thoughts of counter-attacks banished from her mind. She could feel blood pouring freely from her wound, running down her stomach and arms and splashing onto the dusty stone beneath her. It flowed so thickly, so fast, that she could feel herself growing weaker by the second. The smell of burning flesh was a thousand times more potent in this form, and though the blade rose again, to cut off her head for certain, as one must do with dragons, she could not move even an inch. If she had bought young Sakura the time to escape, then she could die at peace, at least some of her guilt alleviated. But, just as always seemed to happen when she made her peace, death did not come. The figure above her jerked suddenly, as if hit from behind. As it turned to look, a loud, angry shout accompanied a heavy blow from a mace. The being's head was crushed like an apple, chunks of skull and brains sent flying from the blow, along with cinders. Rinkah pulled her mace back as the flickering form slumped to the ground, the lethal blade falling harmlessly from it's hand. Still holding a handful of throwing stars, Suzukaze returned them to the pouch at his waist and rushed over, kneeling beside Nerr.

"Lady Nerr, are you alright? Please say-" He paused, the fact that she may have difficulty speaking in such a form dawning on him. "Please make some sign that you're alright." She wanted to yell at him, maybe throttle him with her tail or the massive wings that had sprouted from her shoulders for making such a ridiculous request, but she was too weak. The flow of blood was slowing, but still not stopping completely. Her legs shook with the effort of staying upright, and she slipped down to her knees, breathing hard.

"Oh no... Oh no no no..." Sakura sidled up to her, clutching her staff so tightly it seemed the delicate handle would snap in two. "Oh, p-please don't die, nee-sama... Y-y-you have to be a-alright..."

"Sakura... maybe you should try healing her. You _are_ holding a festal." Azura's voice was calm as always, bordering on nonchalant. Loathe as she was to admit it, Nerr was grateful _someone_ was capable of keeping their head in a crisis. The young princess only just seemed to remember that she was a healer, standing a little straighter as she waved her staff over the Nohrian girl. The familiar burning stinging that accompanied healing wounds was exacerbated by the severity of them, and she roared in pain as the gaping hole in her chest sealed itself. Terrified at the sight of an angry dragon, Sakura dashed back behind Azura, nearly in tears.

"I-I'm sorry, nee-sama!"

"I doubt she's mad at you, princess." Suzukaze's voice was calm as well as he stood back up, surveying the plaza. "I don't see any more attackers. I think we've dispatched them all."

"Not quite..." Rinkah stood near the base of the ruined dragon statue in the middle of the plaza, peering around it. The green-haired ninja followed her, his footfalls almost completely silent. "I think that's who Prince Ryouma was fighting."

"Where it he?"

"Who, Prince Ryouma?" The dark skinned woman shook her head, frowning thoughtfully. "He sounded like he was beat. Probably crawled away somewhere to recover. It's not like there's a corpse there or anything." Forcing herself back on her feet (all four of them, as it were), Nerr limped over to where the Hoshidans stood, following their gaze. This figure was more substantial than the others- she could make out a tall person in a robe, holding a short Hoshidan-style blade. Unlike the other attackers who charged at them, this one remained still, not holding a stance, not looking around... just... waiting. Voicing her thoughts for her, Suzukaze spoke up.

"Why is that one just standing there? Surely it knows we're here."

"I don't know..." Rinkah scowled. "All I know is if that thing bested Prince Ryouma, we don't have a snowball's chance in hell against it."

She was absolutely right. Someone wielding a light blade would be much too fast for Rinkah with her heavy mace, and though Suzukaze was fleet-footed, the shinobi's silly metal stars would not so much as leave a scratch on their final opponent. Nerr narrowed her eyes, a grim suspicion growing in her gut. She had barely been able to see earlier, the dust had been so thick in the air, but she knew she had witnessed Ganglari flying into a figure's hand's, something (or someone) tall, it's form indistinct, as if it were wearing a cloak... She lifted her head and sniffed the air. Blood and smoke and dust assailed her, but above that, the wretched smell that the cursed sword reeked of... and that this final demon reeked of as well, even stronger than it's minions. _This_ was the evil monster that had wrought destruction and brought death... _This_ was the foul mis-creation that was responsible for the grief weighing down on her.

Growling low in her throat, Nerr began stalking towards the still figure. There would be no element of surprise- she was too large and slow for that now, but it didn't matter. Her fury burned so much stronger than any magic this... this... _demon_ could muster. A hand on her thigh (or haunches- it was so hard to figure out what parts of her body were what anymore) stopped her and she craned her neck around to look, a much easier task now that her neck was so much longer. Azura stood beside her, looking grim.

"You can't fight that thing alone, Nerr. You're too weak." _Weak_... Nerr did not want to hear that, especially when the voice in her head still contradicted it, whispering to her enticingly, _You are strong, you have the might of ten men, pitiful chattel cannot stop you..._ She lowered her head, fixing the other girl with a scowl. _'Don't tell me what I can't do. I'm stronger than you are...'_ The words she spoke were not nearly so coherent as they were in her mind, coming out as a long, drawn out growl. Even like that, though, it seemed she got her point across, for Azura removed her hand quite quickly.

"Alright, alright. It's obvious I can't stop you. ...but let me help you, at least a bit." Nerr wanted to scoff aloud, but could not make her vocal cords obey. This scrawny wisp of a woman, help her in battle? Such was to laugh. The other princess had picked up a lance, or at least, some scrap of metal on a long stick, but even the way she held it spoke to the fact that she'd never been trained to handle weapons. It was agony that she could not figure out how to speak properly so as to derisively ask what kind of help the bluenette planned on offering, but her question was being answered all the same.

Azura raised her arms to the heavens, vocalizing in the same high, warbling tone Nerr had heard back at the lake that day. This was no time to be singing, and she was sorely tempted to lash out at the other princess for even attempting such a foolish thing, but a gentle glow caught her eye, giving her pause. Water pooled on the ground below the singer's feet, washing away the blood and dust, droplets rising in the air, saturating it, until it felt as if she were standing in the midst of a gentle summer rain. In an instant, it felt as if the world had been rinsed clean- no more blood and death bogging down her breath. Even the wound on her chest didn't hurt as badly, the last remnants of pain fading away. All at once, as Azura broke off her held note to breathe, the calm feeling was gone, but it's effects remained. Nerr stood up straighter, feeling as if she'd just gotten a second and third wind. Catching her breath, the other woman looked at her, and hand held to her chest.

"I hope that's enough." he said quietly. It was, but Nerr did not attempt to convey that to her. She simply turned her sights back to the monster who's death would bring peace to her guilt ravaged mind. In all that time, the creature had not moved an inch, though it watched her as she approached, and for a split second, she saw that it's head was cocked curiously, as if it were amused by her. Unlike the minions she had dispatched, this one was not silent. It spoke, for lack of a better word, as she drew near, in a deep, masculine voice that sounded rusty from ill-use.

"Show me... what... you've got. Heh. Heh. Heh." That laughed, which seemed more like a cough than an expression of amusement, enraged her. Roaring with fury, she charged at the evanescent being, tackling it until she'd pinned it against the crumbling remains of one of the sturdier buildings. Her horns had ripped through this one's flesh as well, and it was now helpless, like a butterfly with a pin through it. Even so, it laughed again, that dry, toneless exhalation of breath.

"Not... bad... Heh. Heh. Heh." And all at once, it was gone. It simply faded into the air, as if it had been air itself, leaving not a trace behind, no blood or gore, not even it's blade. Nerr looked around frantically trying to see if it had simply warped behind her... but there was nothing there. Nothing but destruction and death... Empress Mikoto's body still lay on the stone, cold and unmoving... and she had not even been able to bring her killer to justice. It was Gunther all over again, only this time, it wasn't just her grief weighing down on her, but the grief of the empress's children, her people.

All of it crushing Nerr, drowning her, forcing her to suffer for the sin of being alive when it should've been _her_ lying cold and dead on the ground. Shaking from the barely contained anger and guilt, she threw her head back, screaming like a child throwing a tantrum. Why was all this happening? It wasn't fair... All she'd wanted was to prove her worth to her father, to make a contribution to her country, to help bring an end to the fighting so people could live in peace... She knew there would be death, but why did it keep happening to others in her place? She cried out again, certain she was weeping, but feeling no tears as she thrashed about. Faintly, barely audible over her rage, she could hear a familiar voice singing.

" _You are the ocean's gray waves, destined to seek life beyond the shore, just out of reach..._ "

Nerr paused, breathing hard as she turned her attention to the source. Azura walked towards her, stepping delicately over the rubble, her arms outstretched. She was bathed in the same glow as before when she sang, as well as the same drizzle. Behind her, the Nohrian girl noticed Sakura waving her staff over Ryouma, who must've dragged himself over to the group, his clothes torn and bloody. He seemed to be on his last legs, but the moment he noticed what Azura was doing, he clambered to his feet, stumbling as he tried to run towards her.

"Azura, no, stop! It's dangerous!" _Dangerous?!_ Nerr huffed, indignation overtaking her anger for a moment. She was _dangerous_ now? She wasn't dangerous when she was helping the overgrown lobster's sisters, or trying to run away from his goons. Just as the eldest prince reached her, a pillar or water erupted around the songstress, spinning like a cyclone, so rapidly that the moment Ryouma ran into it, it knocked him back. He hit the ground hard, groaning in pain though he lifted his head off the dirty stone look back up at her. As the water receded, Azura glanced back at him for but a moment before returning to the task at hand. Breathing deeply, she began again, her face a mask of concentration.

" _You are the ocean's gray waves, destined to seek life beyond the shore, just out of reach..._ "

As she drew closer, Nerr could see that her pendant was glowing, or more specifically, the sliver of blue stone housed in it. It had the same calming effect that she'd felt when Azura sang earlier, but this time, rather than put her mind at ease, it made her (metaphorical) hair stand on end. There was some kind of enchantment in that song, it had to be a spell of some sort. The closer the other woman came, the weaker she felt, and that feeling, of impending helplessness, terrified her. Every step Azura took towards her, she took one back, feeling like a cornered rodent. ' _Stop!',_ she screamed at the bluenette, as she felt her back end brush against the rubble. She had no where left to go, but still the songstress continued her assault, even smiling slightly now, as if she knew her spell was working.

" _Yet the waters ever change-_ "

' _Shut up! Shut up shut up SHUT UP!'_ Nerr was screaming, but her words were incomprehensible to anyone but herself. The rational part of her mid knew that, but that part was tiny in comparison to the anger and fear, and so it was easy to convince herself that her words were simply being ignored. Growling, she reared back, lashing out at the other woman, and striking her across the face. The only reason it had been with an open hand was because her new, elongated fingers did not want to ball into a fist. She'd had the desire to do so since their first meeting, and now finally she had given that horrid, traitorous little wretch what-for. With a cry that sounded more startled than hurt, Azura fell back, hitting the ground limply, and the spell was broken.

In the distance, she could hear Sakura crying, but she didn't care. Nor did she feel any better after finally taking her anger out on someone she felt was more than deserving of it. No, all Nerr felt was the same misery and anger than had been churning inside her for nearly a fortnight. It was too much, it would not stop... She screamed again, the anger giving way to a physical pain in her chest. _'Gods, make it stop, make it stop..._ ' She prayed. Behind her closed eyes, the bright glow came back, and she looked down in disbelief. She had been certain that blow had knocked Azura unconscious- she looked frail enough to be unable to withstand a single hit- but even as she lay prone on the ground, her voice, so weak, rang out.

" _Flowing like time..._ "

The pillar of water surrounded them both this time, droplets breaking against her skin, drenching her. Slowly, as if it required more effort than she had, Azura lifted her head to look up at Nerr. Her left cheek was swollen and bloody, where she had been struck, and though she was clearly in pain, she still smiled slightly. That was more infuriating than anything.

" _The path is... yours to climb_ \- Argh!"

Before she could even think on what she was doing, Nerr reached out, grabbing the other woman by the throat and forcing her back down. It would be so easy to just squeeze a little and pop her head off like a doll's. Growling and breathing hard, Nerr leaned down, her face almost touching Azura's. The pendant still glowed, the bright light hurting her eyes. ' _Shut up... don't you ever shut up...?!'_ This girl exemplified everything Nerr hated about Hoshido- the fact that everything she did was _just_ , for the _right reasons;_ her stupid clothes, her two-faced attitude... It was _her_ fault all of this happened. If she had just kept her gods damned mouth shut and let Nerr go back to Nohr like she wanted to, she would've been far away from the capital if-slash-when Ganglari exploded. There would've been no destruction, no loss of life (save her own), and their empress would've still been alive. If she had just _shut up..._ A small, frail hand reached up, resting lightly on her wrist. Azura's breath was shaky, and as she blinked rapidly, the tears welling in her eyes overflowed, running down the sides of her face.

"Kill me if you want... but... do it as yourself." _'I AM myself. I'm DAGEROUS, remember? I'm an evil Nohrian, because everything from Nohr is evil...'_ Even as she thought those words, the memory of her brothers and sisters came to her mind. How could Nohr be so bad if it made people like that? Like her retainers? A long, long time ago, Xander had been discussing politics with her. In many instances of war, there were no rules, he'd told her. You did whatever was necessary to win. Destroying crops, poisoning wells, killing innocents... the ends justified the means. Except they didn't. _Barbarians fight like that, with no remorse. With no_ honor _. Nohrians are no savages. We do not take innocent life._ She... she had believed that once, not so long ago... She had refused to execute unarmed prisoners, even though they had tried to kill her.

This girl beneath her wouldn't have been able to hurt her even if she _had_ been armed. As annoying as she was, as hateful as she was, Nerr could not kill her. That would be proving the Hoshidans right; it would stain her family's honor, and though she was undoubtedly dead to them, they still lived on in her heart. Slowly, reluctantly, she pulled her hand back, and stepped away. Once again, her anger had burned out, leaving nothing but sadness in it's wake. Whimpering, Nerr withdrew back into the rubble, curling herself into as tiny as ball as she could manage With her long, gangly limbs, it was difficult, but it seemed that she was shrinking in on herself. Muscles and tendons felt like they were being wrapped back into her, like a spool of thread, as her bones ground back to their original size. It hurt, not nearly as much as it had before, but enough that it drove off all conscious thought.

It only took second before she was back to normal, curled up on the filthy ground, but it felt like hours. The pain had not relented this time, as it had after her first transformation, instead growing sharper and concentrating in her head. With every beat of her pounding heart, it felt as if someone was driving a pick ax in her skull. Just as the pain grew unbearable and she was sure she would faint or die, it stopped. It was gone so suddenly that it left the princess feeling lightheaded. She collapsed onto her side, shaking violently, uncontrollably, as if she were afflicted with fever chills. She felt so weak, so helpless... A familiar feeling. Whimpering, she closed her eyes, cringing as another dark memory flashed before her. Only this time, it was not a hazy reel of barely remembered sounds and impressions, but a very clear image...

 _She had been on the ground, cleaner than the one she was on now, though not by much. It was dark, Nohr dark, and someone stood in front of her. A man, with long, wild hair. He grunted in pain as arrows flew past her, some hitting the stone walls of the building surrounding them, the sharp little flecks of stone cutting her as they hit. With a tortured groan, the man in front of her dropped down to one knee, sinking his sword into the ground and leaning on it in a vain attempt to stay upright. Her father... she knew it was her father because she remembered wanting to run to him, to cry out, 'papa!' and hide in his long robes, away from all the scary things. But she couldn't move, she was too afraid._

 _A deep voice grew louder as a huge man, wearing strange black armor and carrying an enormous ax, approached her father. He said something about being disappointed, but she couldn't listen, she was too busy looking at the thick blade gleaming in the faint torchlight, at the blood dripping on the stone. The scary man raised his ax and swung it. Nerr tried to look away, but it was too late. She had seen the blood spray over the walls, had seen her father fall to the ground with a loud, gurgling cry. He was still, so still, occasionally twitching slightly... Blood pooled around him, sinking in between the paving stones. Tears blurred her vision, burning her eyes as they fell hard and fast down her cheeks._

 _"You poor thing..." The voice was suddenly so close that she hurt her neck turning to face it. The scary man now stood next to her, and there was no one in between them now. He looked so much older than her father, his face ashen and lined with deep wrinkles. His beard was longer too, and snowy white, just as his hair was, though both were flecked with bright red blood. It ran down his armor in thick rivers, barely visible against the black. She tried backing away from the huge, scary man, but it was no good- he was too fast, standing over her before she could even think to run. His lips were pulled up, but it didn't look like a smile. It reminded her of seeing a dog bare it's teeth, growling and snarling._

 _"Orphaned at such a... tender, young age... You are MY child now..." he reached down, and everything went black..._

"Are you alright, Nerr?" She cringed at Azura's voice, quiet but still so loud right next to her ear. Nerr curled into a tighter ball, whimpering and covering her face. She didn't want them to know she was crying- it was bad enough she knew, could feel the hot tears cutting tracks through the dust and grime on her face.

Mikoto had gotten her wish after all- she remembered. Not just that one, horrid scene, but so many horrid scene, those early days in Nohr... She'd wanted to forget those, those were the main things she'd wanted pushed away, and now, they were back... But the worst part was, they had been telling the truth. Mikoto and Ryouma... she remembered them- not as vividly, but still. The high prince was smaller in her memories, but still just as mean and cold, and Mikoto... she remembered being held tenderly, being sung something, a lullaby maybe... It was strange to remember a lullaby not sung to her by Camilla or Gunther, but there it was. The empress really was her mother... and now, it was too late to acknowledge it.

"Nerr, are you alright?" Azura asked again, a hint of panic in her voice this time. Nerr shook her head.

"No... No, nothing is alright... Oh gods, it's all wrong..."

"It's okay, Nerr. Don't worry about it- that wasn't you." So confused by the direction of the conversation, Nerr had to look up. The other woman's face was still swollen, but the bleeding had stopped. She must've been talking about her draconic rampage. Bile rose in Nerr's throat. Oh, that had been her, alright, but she felt too guilty as it was to admit that. Still, she was grateful for the opportunity to jump on any topic that wasn't the nightmarish scenes playing out in her mind.

"I don't understand... how-how could this have happened? What happened to me?"

"It must be the blood of the ancient dragons in your veins." But that made no sense. Breathing hard, Nerr forced herself into a sitting position.

"That can't be. All royals have dragon blood- that's what makes them royals. Do _you_ turn into a dragon?" The songstress shook her head solemnly.

"I'm afraid I don't. I've _heard_ of it, of the manaketes, but this is my first time seeing it." Nerr had heard of manaketes too, but it still didn't make sense. None of her Nohrian siblings could become dragons- she was certain because if he could, Leo would never have shut up about it- but it seemed that didn't matter since she wasn't truly related to any of them. But why not the Hoshidans? Surely they shared a trait such as this? As she inhaled deeply, the stench of blood and smoke and death cut through her thoughts like a knife.

"Oh gods... wh-what happened to all the people? A-are they okay, have they been evacuated?" She clambered to her feet, looking around and she stumbled, taking everything in for the first time with clear eyes. The once painfully bright sky had been obscured almost entirely with a thick haze of smoke. The stalls, the buildings, everything that had once stood was now a smoldering ruin.

Amidst the bricks and beams, she could see body parts strewn about, pinned beneath the rubble. An arm here, a leg there... some of them old and enfeebled, others tiny and plump. Not ten feet from where she stood, she noticed what seemed like a doll's hand, swollen and purple sticking out from a heavy slab... It's owner was probably two or three at the oldest. Nerr felt her throat constrict in the midst of all the death. These people, _her_ people she had been told, meant nothing to her on a personal level. Individually, their deaths would not have accounted for much to her, but on such a grand scale...So many people dead. And for what? Wordlessly, Ryouma walked over to her, following her gaze passively.

"Do you see, Nerrida? _This_ is the work of Nohrians. _This_ is what they do." She wanted to yell at him, to shout that no, it wasn't, it couldn't be. Nohr was too full of good people to be capable of such atrocities, but she knew it would do no good. And besides, she was so very tired... The prince, her brother she supposed, turned towards her, looking even more angry than he had as he surveyed the damage, "Let me guess; that sword you carried... it was a gift from King Garon?" she said nothing, turning away from him. There was no need to confirm what he already believed, or in this case, already knew. The man nodded gravely. "Of course it was. He masterminded this whole thing. You were just a pawn in his game."

Even though it was true, it did not hurt any less. _He's my father, he wouldn't do that..._ But that argument didn't hold as much water now that she remembered the truth, remembered watching that scary man cut her father down before her eyes, the cruel smile on his face as he reached down to grab her... Ryouma was still talking, but she didn't want to listen anymore. Garon knew she'd be captured and brought before the empress... did he also know how badly she would want to leave? That she would try to escape at every opportunity, and be thwarted each time? The princess pressed her hands to her temples, trying to ward off the returning headache. If only they had just let her go, everything would've been alright... Instead, she'd brought death to their door, unwittingly, but all the same.

"I'm so sorry..." She whispered, unable to raise her voice anymore. She'd meant what she'd said to Azura earlier- _she_ could live without a mother, but that didn't mean she wanted anyone else to. If only she had died-

"Your apology means _nothing_!" A hateful voice hissed behind her. Turning, she noticed Takumi and Hinoka, their clothes torn and dirty, but otherwise, they seemed alright. She could see where tears had run down the younger boy's face, but they were dry now. There was no sorrow in his face now, only anger and hatred. "This is all your fault!" He screamed at Nerr. "Our mother is dead, along with countless others! And it wouldn't have happened if you hadn't shown up on our doorstep!" Once again, anger began boiling inside her. Nerr knew it was her fault, but she didn't need this arrogant little _nothing_ telling her that, and for all the wrong reasons besides. She walked up to him, her eyes narrowed in annoyance, her voice surprisingly level.

"I 'showed up on your doorstep'? _That's_ how you think it happened, like I just waltzed into Hoshido and came knocking for a visit? Listen, you little _stool_ \- you can blame me for this all you want, but don't think for a second that I was here because I _wanted_ to be here. Your fucking soldiers knocked me out and _dragged_ me here, against my will! I _tried_ to leave, but your mother wouldn't _let_ me! If I'd had my way, I'd have been in Nohr a week ago! Hate me for what happened, but don't you dare act like I wanted this to happen." Far from being back into a corner, her anger only served to make him more belligerent.

"Shut your lying, whore mouth! You honestly expect me to believe this wasn't all your doing? You were probably in on it from the beginning! Why the hell else would you bring a sword to a peaceful gathering unless you knew what would happen?! It should've been you, you bitch. _You're_ the one who should've died!"

"Takumi, that's enough." Ryouma had been content to stand there and listen quietly all this time, but as he noticed his brother's hands ball into fists, he interjected. Azura stepped forward, placing a light hand on Takumi's arm.

"Your words won't change anything, and neither will your anger. Besides-"

"Shut up, Azura!" he viciously slapped her hand away, round on her. "You're the same as that... _bitch_ , Nerrida! You've probably been spying on us from the moment you came here! Everyone knows Nohrians can't be trusted, yet they just welcomed you both into the fold. You see what happens when you trust Nohrians? _You see?!_ "

"Takumi, what are you saying? Stop it!" Hinoka's voice was surprisingly quiet, laced with anger, though at who, one could not say. "You just saw Nerrida and Azura help defeat those Nohrian soldiers. They wouldn't help us if they were in on it- they'd have just run away in the confusion."

"Unless that's what they _wanted_ you to think! What better way to keep spoon feeding you lies than to pretend to help _after_ all the killing and destruction already happened?" Loathe as she was to admit it, Takumi had a point. Still, Nerr kept quiet, unwilling to try and correct anybody or waste her breath talking to the infuriated boy. It seemed Azura had not had enough of his venom yet, for she kept trying to coax him.

"Takumi, please. Nerr is your sister. It's fine if you don't trust me, but she's your flesh and blood." _That_ bothered her for some reason. Nerr turned back towards them, unwilling to let such a thing slide.

"That doesn't matter-"

"You're right, _Nohrian_. It doesn't matter. My mother is dead. Thanks to _you._ You're not my sister."

"...and that's fine. If you don't think of me as your sister, I can live with that, because I don't think of you as my brother. We're strangers to one another. But Azura _is_ your sister. You grew up together, she was raised as part of your family. That bond should matter more than a few drops of blood shared with someone you just met. It's fine if you don't trust _me_ , but she had nothing to do with anything." For a moment, Takumi was silent (so were the rest of the siblings, but they weren't the ones who looked ready to take a swing at her), but then he walked up to her. Even in bare feet, Nerr stood a few inches taller than him, but that hardly fazed the boy as he glared up at her.

"Why don't you just leave, Nohrian, before you kill anyone else?" She returned his gaze coolly.

"Maybe I would, if you people would _let_ me."

"Please, wait!" They both looked up to see the tactician, Yukimura, jogging up to them. It seems he had been further in the rubble, still looking for survivors, judging by his dusty clothes and bleeding hands. The older man sighed deeply, reaching up to adjust his glasses. One of the lenses was cracked. "You are both upset, but this is not what Mikoto-sama would've wanted."

"Oh, go to hell, Yukimura. Just because you were in love with her doesn't mean you know anything. And besides, it doesn't matter _what_ Mother would've wanted because she's _dead_ now! Thanks to _somebody..._ " The tactician closed his eyes, looking as if a heavy weight had descended on him for a long moment.

"You're right. Mikoto-sama _is_ dead, which is why you should not shame her memory by acting so cruelly. What would she say if she say you behaving this way? She loved her family above all else- it would destroy her to see you two fighting. This is not how she wanted you to respond to her demise..." For the first time, Ryouma appeared interested in what was being said.

"What do you mean, in response to her demise? Did she say something to you?" Yukimura sighed once more, looking horribly downtrodden.

"Yes. Before we left for the plaza, Mikoto-sama confided to Yuugiri, Orochi and myself that... that she knew she was going to die. Perhaps it was a premonition, or perhaps she simply understood the way King Garon thinks, but she knew this would happen. Not _this_ , exactly, but her ultimate death. She asked us not to say anything, but... well, it seems a moot point now." He turned then towards Nerr. "This is not your fault, Nerrida-sama. Your mother would not want to hear you blame yourself." Hanging her head, the princess seethed quietly. Takumi was right- it didn't matter what their mother wanted, because she was dead.

"More importantly than appointing blame," Yukimura continued, seeing that his placating words were not having the desired effect on either party. "I believe you should take a moment to examine the plaza's central statue, or what remains of it..." The siblings all approached the base of the statue, craning their necks to see. Curiosity getting the better of her, Nerr looked up the the point they were fixated on. In the dim, smoky light, she could just make out a glint of gold. Squinting, she noticed that there was a blade, made of shining bronze or copper by the look of it, with a strange, ridged grip and pronged pommel.

"What the hell is what? Some kind of sword?"

"It can't be..." Ryouma muttered, more to himself than her. Nerr agreed- surely such an awkward hilt would make it impossible to wield, and how could it have been embedded _within_ the statue? Ignoring the impossible scenario of it materializing within the marble, the stone surely would've rendered the blade useless.

"I believe it is. The divine Yatogami." Nerr scoffed under her breath. Divine? Please. Clearly Yukimura had no idea what he was talking about. How could he even _see_ the damned thing- with her above average sight, it was a faint glint in the distance, and his glasses were broken. Not hearing her, or else, ignoring her, the tactician continued. "Much like your Raijinto, Ryouma-sama, and your Fuujin Yumi, Takumi-sama.. Even your Ameteratsu, Hinoka-sama. I've heard there are other divine weapons, but I'm afraid I don't know much about them, but I'd heard much about the Yatogami. Only one may wield it, one chose by the blade itself." This time, Nerr scoffed loud enough to know she was heard.

"Aren't you a little old to believe in fairytales?" He turned an even gaze towards her.

"Says the woman who turned into a dragon? It would appear fairytales have more truth in them than not..."

Shaking her head in exasperation, Nerr turned on her heel. She wondered if she could slip away unnoticed while the others were enraptured by their fairytale come to life. Being chosen by a sword, what nonsense. She'd taken no more than five steps when panicked cries erupted behind her. Without thinking, she turned back around, regretting it at once. The Yato... something, had been hovering in the air above the base of the statue. As she noticed it, it hurtled towards her, much the same way that Ganglari had repelled from her. It was coming straight at her, so fast that, divine or not, it would probably take off her head. Crying out unconsciously in fear, Nerr threw her hands up to shield her face from the incoming blow. But it did not slam into her, not even hitting her hand.

Despite the speed of it's trajectory, the hilt only just brushed her palm. Grabbing it out of fear that it might try to strike her if left alone, Nerr opened her eyes slowly, shutting them once more as a blinding light emanated from the blade. Only when the light dimmed behind her eyelids did she tentatively crack them open. The blade, long and thin, was indeed the color of dull copper, though it was inlaid with crimson stones near the guard on both sides. And despite it's strange ridges, the grip was not nearly as uncomfortable as she had thought it would be. The blade felt... _right_ in her hand, much more balanced than Ganglari had been. But divine? Not likely. Her siblings, however, seemed to buy into Yukimura's hype.

"The blade has chosen Nerrida!" Ryouma's voice was stunned, and while Takumi sounded surprised as well, it was buried beneath a layer of disgust.

"Impossible. The Yatogami wouldn't choose a filthy Nohrian to wield it."

"Shut up, Takumi." Hinoka slapped him on the arm. "Nerrida, do you know what this means? Heh heh, you're destined! You're destined to help us drive back those Nohrian devils! I knew it, I knew getting you back would make everything better!" Drive back the Nohrians? Raise a hand against her people? No, she could never, and if that was what using a Hoshidan blade meant, she would gladly throw it in the first ravine she came across. In response to her thoughts, it seemed, the blade warmed in her hand. It was not the painful burning/freezing that Ganglari had done- this was a much gentler sensation, like she had just dipped her hand into a nice, warm tub.

"N-nee-sama? Are you l-listening? C-can you hear us?"

Nerr did hear them, but only distantly, for she was not paying attention. Everything about this day, these events, felt like it had been put together to test her limits. The explosion was her father's doing- her _adopted_ father, for lack of a better word- there was no doubt of that. Maybe even Hans' actions, though she still refused to believe her father ordered Gunther's death- that made no sense at all. But this strange sword stuck in a stone, her new draconic form? Who was behind that? Her head pounded fiercely, and she wanted nothing more than to curl up on the dirty ground again and go to sleep, preferably never to wake again, but as it were, there was no rest for the weary.

A small group of Hoshidan soldiers ran towards them, clambering over the rubble. Judging by the pristine state of their uniforms, it seemed they hadn't been caught in the blast, but they looked shaken nonetheless. Suzukaze approached them, the news they had apparently so disconcerting, it seemed to physically wound him. Nodding, they ran back in the direction they came from, while the shinobi dashed towards the royals, kneeling before Ryouma.

"Ryouma-sama, I fear there is unsettling news. Scouts have reported that a massive Nohrian battalion is gathering at the border. They're a day's journey from the capital at most."

"Gods, those _dastards_...! They organize an attack on our capital, murder our sovereign, then try to invade? No... This is the final straw." Ryouma's face was stony, his jaw clenched so tightly Nerr could see a tic in his cheek. "I have worked hard to avoid an all-out war, but now... death is too good for them. Who's with me?" Hinoka and Takumi cheered, the former more enthusiastically than the latter.

"We'll drive those Nohrian dastards right back to hell! For every drop of innocent Hoshidan blood they've spilled, I'll kill them twice!" The elder princess roared. Her younger brother was calmer in his fury.

"They all have to die... It's the only way we'll ever have peace..." The high prince nodded grimly.

"We must gather our forces. Yukimura, send a missive that all soldiers, all reserves are to report to the castle immediately. We will meet the Nohrians head on this time, and we will salt the earth with their blood."

000

Wordlessly, Nerr followed her siblings (she begrudgingly acquiesced that they were in fact her family, though they all still felt like strangers to her) back to the castle. There was so much hustle and bustle as soldiers geared up, polishing their armor and sharpening their weapons. She could've gone back to her room, but she decided against it- it felt too much like a cell, so small and dark and cramped... It was better than the cell she'd known in Nohr so long ago- there were no rats and it did not reek of mildew- but it brought back unpleasant memories all the same. Utterly miserable, she retreated to a relatively desolate hallway, her back against the wall and her knees pulled up to her chest. The Yato blade rested in her lap, not glowing or doing anything special. It was dull and dingy, in worse shape that her old bronze practice sword, but it's blade was still razor sharp.

The Nohrian princess- she was Hoshidan by blood, but in her heart, Nerr would always be Nohrian- ran her fingers over the flat edge of the blade, tracing the stones set within it. There was so much upheaval, so much chaos... She wanted to scream and cry, but it felt as if she were empty, worn out and used up. There were no more tears within her to be shed, no more breath to be exhaled. Sighing, she closed her eyes, more aware than ever that sleep would not come. A shadow descended over her, and she didn't need to look up to know who it was. Those footsteps could only come from bare feet.

"You should be resting, Nerr. Ryouma is leading the troops to the border in a few hours." A short pause. "You _are_ going, aren't you?"

"I don't have a choice." She muttered. There was no way Ryouma would leave her unattended in the castle, especially now. A thought suddenly popped into her mind. "I wonder who's leading the Nohrian forces... Maybe it's Xander. He is Nohr's best soldier, it would make sense for Father to send him to lead an invasion..." For the first time in ages, Nerr felt a surge of hope in her breast.

If Xander was there, then perhaps she could force her way to the front lines, and he would see that she was not dead. He would give her guidance, as he always had in the past. Clinging to that delicate lifeline, Nerr got to her feet. A small hand on her wrist gave her pause. Most of her clothes had been torn, or else burned away earlier, and no one cared enough to pester her about changing into whole (but Hoshidan) garb. Azura's gloves exposed her fingers, and the other woman could feel how smooth and delicate they were. Hands that had never held a weapon or scraped the hard ground... hands of a princess, truly.

"If you become embroiled in a fight now, especially against any Nohrians you might now, it would be easy to lose control. Your dragon blood could take over again."

"So?" Nerr failed to see the issue. So she could turn into a raging murder beast and cut a swathe through any Hoshidans who tried to keep her from Xander. That actually sounded like a viable plan... Azura sighed deeply, annoyed that she wasn't grasping the severity of the situation.

"If you yield completely to your bestial impulses, you may lose your humanity altogether." _That_ got through to her. Nerr had read many stories, some fantastical, some based in ancient history, of mad dragons that rampaged without sense or reason, destroying all in their path until some valiant knight came along to cut them down. In her youth, such stories had been the setting of her most enjoyable daydreams, but she had always been the maiden in need of saving in them, not the dragon falling to the knight's sword.

"Well, what do I do? I-I can't stop it- it happens when I get angry, and I'm always angry now." If she transformed on the battlefield, she might, in her rage-addled mind, attack Xander. Of course, her brother would put her down with ease, he was one of the strongest people she knew, but she didn't want that to be her last memory, her dear brother striking her down like some rabid beast... Azura tugged on her hand, breaking her free from her melancholy thoughts.

"I know something that can help. Come with me."

Silently, Nerr followed the other girl, pushing past the throngs of people headed in the opposite direction. Further and further into the depths of the castle, until they stopped at a large screen door. Azura slid it open and stepped inside, Nerr following suit if only because she didn't trust any lurking guards that might be about. The room was exceedingly large, almost as big as the throne room. Scrolls and maps and tomes filled the shelves, along with beautiful figurines and statues. A delicately sculpted ivory and gold bow lay on a dais, glimmering slightly in the low light. Nerr looked around, feeling more in awe of this room than anything else in Hoshido.

"Where are we?"

"This is Empress Mikoto's room."

"What?" She rounded on the other girl, who was currently rummaging among the the figures and knickknacks. "These are the empress's chambers? And you just waltz in here and snoop around? Where are the guards?"

"There are no guards- who would enter the sovereign's chambers without her permission?" Azura stopped her search for a moment to fix the other woman with an irksome glare. "And I am not 'snooping around'. I'm looking for something she showed once, for this very situation." She returned to her search, muttering to herself that it was 'somewhere around here...' "Aha! Here it is, I knew it was here somewhere."

Overwhelmed by curiosity, Nerr approached the other princess, her brows draw together as Azura turned to face her, holding something in her hand. It was a blue stone, cut in a pear shape, about the size of a fist. There was a small skull encased in the crystal, like that of a wyvern, only so very tiny. Nerr had heard of stones made of hardened ancient sap that sometimes held insects in their depths, but a crystal? With a dragon's head? It was beyond baffling.

"What is that thing?"

"It's a Dragonstone. Manaketes use it to contain their powers. Hopefully, it will absorb yours, giving you the ability to keep a human form but transform into a dragon at will." Nerr nodded, not entirely grasping the concept, but long winded explanations were the least pressing thing on her mind.

"Okaaaay... I'm sure that makes sense, but what I don't understand is why would Empress Mikoto even _have_ this? I mean, did _she_ turn into a dragon?"

"No. I... I think she was saving this... for you. For when you came back."

"What?! Why would she have this for me? How could she know that I was a dragon? Why didn't she tell me this from the beginning?!" Azura sighed deeply and closed her eyes. She looked almost as weary as Nerr felt.

"I don't know. Maybe she thought you wouldn't believe her. All I know is that when I was younger, she showed this to me. When I asked her about it, she just said, 'it's for someone special'. She never brought it up again, but I can't think of anyone more special to her that you." The guilt of that simple statement hit her like a hammer, which was probably Azura's intent.

"Anyway, even if it wasn't for you, I'm sure she would understand your need for it now. Take it." Still a bit wary, but much more compliant than she normally would've been, Nerr reached out, taking the stone in her own hands. It was cool, like hardened water- not ice, just... water somehow made solid. "Good, now close your eyes..." Through her closed lids, Nerr could tell the stone was glowing. From her hands, a cooling sensation spread up her arms, through her chest and head, and down her legs. It was as if water were being flushed through her veins, replacing the blood and leaving her with a (brief) sense of calm. When she opened her eyes, she noticed Azura glancing at the stone with a slight smile curving her lips. "I think it worked. You should be okay. This stone is attuned to you now. You'd best keep it safe."

"...thank you, Azura." It was painful to say, what with the guilt and annoyance still roiling within her, but now, it had been reduced to a low simmer, not enough to cloud her gratitude. "I know I've been cold to you- not _entirely_ undeserved, but still. If I were you, I don't think I would be willing to give me the time of day, much less be kind... if that made any sense."

"It did. I understand what you're saying. And you're right; normally I wouldn't be kind to someone who clearly doesn't want my kindness, but... I empathize with you." The golden eyes that met Nerr's crimson were inscrutable. "Everything is new and scary, so much has happened so fast... I don't think this cold person is the real you, Nerr. I believe that, if the circumstances were different, you wouldn't be so harsh. Empress Mikoto and Yukimura, and Ryouma and Hinoka... They've told me so much about you that, even though we've only just met, I can't help but feel close to that person... That person I think you really are."

"I think you overestimate how good of a person I really am, but I thank you for it nonetheless. You've helped me, and one day, I hope to return the favor."

"There's no need to think you're in my debt." Azura shook her head, her long hair fluttering around her. "Truth be told, I might be doing this more for Empress Mikoto than you, anyways... And that's why I'm coming with you to face Nohr."

"To keep me from running away again?"

"I don't know. _Will_ you run away again?" That was a question Nerr did not have an answer to.


	7. The Road Not Trekked

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Ch. 7- "The Road Not Trekked"

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The journey to the plains near the Hoshidan side of the border was a long, arduous one. The majority of the army, led by Ryouma, had gone ahead, setting up defensive positions and awaiting the Nohrian troop's advance. Nerr traveled in a smaller retinue, with her other Hoshidan siblings, as well as Azura, Rinkah and Suzukaze. She had not been able to find a scabbard to fit Yato on such short notice, so she carried it, her hands growing clammy on the hilt. Her leaden steps provided a suitable backdrop for her grim thoughts. It would only be a few more minutes until they reached the plains. There would be Nohrians there, but on the wrong side of the battlefield. It was her nightmare all over again, standing amidst the enemy... Only, if she was Hoshidan, then that meant the Nohrians were the enemy.

It felt blasphemous to even think such a thing, that the brave soldiers who's ranks she longed to join might be deserving of death. She stopped suddenly, feeling out of breath, despite the fact that she wasn't even working up a sweat. Takumi and Hinoka were well ahead of her, disappearing into the brush, with Sakura hot on their heels. If they noticed she was lagging behind, they'd probably send guards after her to drag her to the front lines. She didn't want Xander, or any Nohrians, to see her in such a humiliating position, but she could not force her legs to move anymore. It felt as if a large hand had closed over her chest and, no matter how hard she tried, she simply couldn't draw another breath. For a long time, Nerr stood there, gasping for air that would not come.

Reaching into her breastplate, she pulled out the cerulean stone Azura had given her. It was the only place she could keep the rock without worrying too terribly about losing it. This newfound ability, this new draconic form, only added more questions to her already muddled brain. Had Father known about that, too? Had it been part of his plan for her to turn into a mindless, rage-fueled monster? Nerr didn't know what to think about King Garon. She remembered now, more vividly than she ever could've cared to, the day he 'adopted' her.

She remembered being thrown into a dark, putrid cell, staying in there for what felt like years, at the mercy of the cruel guards and servants who's duty it was to _protect_ her. How could her father, the only one she'd ever known, be so cruel? And to what end? What was the point in taking a prisoner, only to declare her a legitimate princess? Why devote so much effort into training her to be a capable warrior, a charming noble, a skilled politician... only to send her to her death? The cool stone in her hand calmed her breathing, soothing her. Reluctantly, she took off in the direction of her other siblings.

When she finally caught sight of them, they had stopped at a clearing near a river, just beside a copse of thin tress. It seemed that the majority of the Nohrian army had not yet advanced, a small vanguard of lancers and cavaliers the only forces at the base of the mountain. It didn't seem that there were reinforcements along the mountain slope yet, and Nerr wondered why the Hoshidans didn't charge in for an easy win. Surely, even if there were reinforcements, they would not be able to advance quickly enough to provide any aid, and would be swept up in the swarm of oncoming forces. Even malig knights and wyvern lords would not be helpful, given the sheer number of archers. There had to have been _something_ staying heir hand, and for a long time, Nerr could not figure out what it could've possibly been. Suddenly, she heard a clang of metal on metal coming from a few hundred feet away.

Pushing past her other sisters, she dashed towards the sound, stopping short at the sight before her. On a small inlet, cut off from both sides by a fork in the river and only accessible by a broken bridge, the heirs to Hoshido and Nohr faced off, their blades drawn. There was Xander, like a magnificent mirage, his short cape billowing in the slight breeze. Tears, so sudden she could not halt their flow, burned her eyes. Only the other day, the princess had been convinced she would forever be locked away in the bowls of the Hoshidan castle, waiting for death. Now, there was hope for life, not matter how small and fragile the spark.

It would've been so easy to run to him, to throw her arms around his neck and laugh in relief, as she had so often back at the Citadel, but she retrained herself. She was, after all, on the Hoshidan side of the battlefield. The last thing Xander need was for some Hoshidan grunt with delusions of grandeur charging towards him in a suicidal blitz. But then, how could she make herself known? The problem seemed to sort itself out as Asmodeus, her brother's black destrier, caught her scent on the breeze and whinnied loudly. Following his steed's gaze across the river, Xander locked eyes with her. His brow furrowed so deeply Nerr could practically hear it grinding from where she stood. All at once, his face turned from bemusement, to shock, to a joyous relief. The elder prince smile warmly.

"Nerr! By the gods, you're alive! All this time, we thought... But it matters not. You're not hurt, are you, sister?" _Sister_... It seemed impossible that Xander of all people would not know her true heritage- he knew everything that happened in Nohr... But it didn't matter, none of that mattered now. He thought she had been dead, but she was alive and standing before him... on the wrong side of enemy lines.

"I'm fine, brother. But what are you doing here? Why are you invading Hoshido?!" Certainly that raised suspicion, the Hoshidan princess calling a Nohrian brother, but Nerr ignored the scathing looks the nearby soldiers and royals gave her. She wanted answers, answers that made sense, and she trusted Xander above all others to speak plainly to her, and the truth. Perhaps because of her tone, or else, because he noticed the Hoshidans closing ranks on her, the prince's warm smile vanished, leaving his usual, stern face. But, if she were being honest with herself, even that was a comforting sight in it's familiarity.

"Because Father says it is time, little princess. The Hoshidans are growing belligerent- attacking without warning, occupying Nohrian territories... We thought they killed you in that ambush... there are more reasons than I can list. But it matters not. We do this for the good of Nohr. Join us, Nerr, and we'll end this quickly. The faster we take the capital, the less bloodshed and senseless death there will be." Ryouma had been listening intently, almost calmly, to the exchange, but at that, the samurai unsheathed his sword charging at Xander. The Nohrian prince was too skilled to be caught unawares, and maneuvered his steed to leap aside nimbly, deflecting the blow with his own sword. He hissed something at the blonde man that Nerr couldn't hear, before raising his voice to her.

"Don't listen to his lies, Nerrida. That man is a Nohrian commander!"

"That man is my brother!" The words slipped her tongue before she even realized she was saying them. Behind her, her siblings gasped.

"What do you mean, 'brother'?" Hinoka scoffed in disbelief. "That- That's the prince of Nohr? Ryouma?!" She called out to her brother, the fact that he was not simply facing some nameless grunt now a pressing a concern. Ryouma's face mask an inscrutable mask of loathing as he turned back to Xander, the heated words between them drowned out by the murmur of the soldiers. There was a thundering of hooves accompanied by the beating of leathery wings. Across the river, Nerr noticed a small group break free from the soldiers. The invisible hand that had been clutching her so tightly freed her suddenly, at the sight of her sisters and younger brother. Camilla and Leo had come halfway across the bridge connecting Nohr and Hoshido.

"Nerr!" Camilla's voice washed over her like a warm tide. "I was sooo worried about you. Don't you ever wander away from me again, young lady!" Even Leo's smile was sincere, hardly a trace of his usual arrogance in his voice.

"It's nice to see you back in the land of the living, Nerr. You must have the devil's own luck!"

"Nerr! I _knew_ you were okay, I told everyone you were alright!" Despite the fact that they were on a battlefield, Elise sounded as if they were reunited back at the citadel after only a few days apart. "Yaaay! We got our sister back!" It seemed like waking from a nightmare, that after so long and such uncertainty, her brothers and sister were within reaching distance. It was so easy to believe, in that moment, that every horrible thing that had happened so far had simply been some kind of awful fever dream. If only she were waking now, the faces of her family swimming above her... maybe afterwards she could go out and train with Gunther. She wouldn't even complain about being woken so early... A harsh voice, loud and hateful, right beside her ear, startled her.

"Nohrian scum! Bad enough you kidnap her, but you have the audacity to lie to her even _now_?! Nerrida is my sister; how _dare_ you try and act like you care about her!?" Hinoka ran forward, pushing Nerr behind her, as she yelled at the other family. Camilla, never one to back down from a challenge, slid off her mount and onto the weathered bridge, the eye that wasn't hidden behind her lilac hair narrowed.

"Excuse me, little girl? I think you're mistaken. Nerr is _my_ sweet little sister, and no Hoshidan whore is permitted to try and convince her otherwise." At once, the hateful expression dropped from the older woman's face and she peered at Nerr, her ever-doting smile back in place. "Come back to mommy, dearest. I know you must've been terrified, surrounded by those savages. It's okay now- everything will be alright..."

"Stay away from her, you harlot!" Hinoka's hysterical voice was tinged with fear as she pulled Nerr away from this new threat. "I won't let Nohr take her away again!"

"Ignore that chattel, Nerr. You just come back home and everything will be alright..."

"Don't be fooled by their words." Ryouma called out to her once more. "You belong with your true family in Hoshido!"

"True family? You don't know the meaning of it!" Xander shouted at the brunette man across from him, before turning his gaze once more to his sister. "We have loved you and raised you since you were a child. Come home, little princess. We can live as a family once more!"

It was her nightmare all over again. The Hoshidans on one side, the Nohrians on the other. Even the words were the same, _Come back to Hoshido, Nerrida! No, Nerr! Nohr is your home!_ But this time, there was not the simple back and white that had permeated her dream. It was not her country versus the enemy, no matter how much she wished it were. Two countries, two families... Both, it seemed, cared about her choice. Pushing past Hinoka, Nerr trotted over to the inlet where her brothers stood. For the first time, they did not glare at each other, but focused their full attention on her. The icy water in the river only came up to her knees, but it was fast moving, nearly sweeping her feet out from under her a few times. After a slight struggle, she made it up to the embankment, standing between her brothers, her countries. The sun was setting quickly, the sky a deep gold. To the west, she could see the inky expanse of the Nohrian sky.

"This way!" She gasped quietly, the sudden voice breaking through her thoughts. Ryouma held his left hand out, his right still clutching his sword tightly. Quickly approaching footsteps from behind, and she turned to see the Hoshidan royal family approaching her, separated by the river. Sakura lead the charge this time, her sweet face tearful.

"N-nee-sama...?"

" _No_! She's _my_ sister!" Nerr spun around, just in time to see the Nohrian royals stop at the bank. Elise clutched her healing staff in both hands, looking like she, too, was near tears. Xander offered her his hand as well, but he transferred his dark blade to his left so he could hold out his dominate hand.

" _We're_ your family..."

 _'My family...'_ The thought grimly. She only had one family, but there was only one choice that she could make. Breathing deeply, she turned...

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A/N- So, that's all I plan on posting at the moment. Now, I've only been working on Conquest's chapters as of typing this, and while I plan on doing Birthright one day, it's at the bottom of my priorty list (mostly because I dislike it _sooooo_ much). So, should I just continue posting the Conquest chapters _here_ , or should I make a new file-dealy so that when I do get around to Birthright's, readers can just pick their appropriate branch of fate?


	8. Author's Note

Author's Note

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Well, now it's time to choose your branch of Fate. Both branches can be found in my profile (Revelation _might_ come... one day). The Rising Dark has Nerr make up her mind and return to Nohr, and complain about it 99% less than Corrin. The Falling Light has Nerr uncertainly decided to take the long way home, getting roped into the Hoshidan's misadventures and learn something about the nature of freedom. Like the game, both stories are linked and each one holds some details that the other doesn't (because if they both had the same details, it would be me just copying and pasting the same story).


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